INDIANAPOLIS-- The Trine softball team is ranked as the top team in the Central Region in the official NCAA Division III Softball Regional rankings.
The Thunder are one of seven teams ranked in the region. The rankings cover games played through Monday. Trine is 31-2 overall this season and has clinched at least a share of a fourth-consecutive MIAA regular-season championship with a 13-1 mark in conference play. Trine is 4-1 against teams appearing in the Central Region rankings and 5-1 overall against all teams appearing in regional rankings. Trine is seeking a ninth-consecutive bid to the NCAA Regionals following a season that saw the Thunder make their first-ever trip to the NCAA Division III National Championships and win a school-record 43 games.
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Key regional wins for the Thunder include a sweep of Alma and single victories over Hope and DePauw. Trine also defeated Aurora in the Dot Richardson Spring Games. The lone loss to a regionally-ranked foe came at the hands of Hope.
Trine's strength of schedule is sixth among all teams in the Central Region. Thunder opponents have combined for a .570 winning percentage. Trine is 1-1 against ranked opponents, having split a doubleheader with conference-foe and 19th-ranked Hope.
Carly Searles (Levering, Mich./Petoskey) has been making noise at the national level following a 14-for-14 week that saw the senior win the Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Division III Hitter of the Week award. Searles capped off a streak of 16-consecutive hits, the second-longest in NCAA history. The two-time All-American is closing in on the all-time NCAA career record for triples. She was recently featured in an article on ESPNW.
Trine wraps up the regular-season tomorrow against MIAA-foe St. Mary's. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. The Thunder can clinch an outright regular-season conference title with one victory.
Saturday will see Trine honor its senior class following the doubleheader. Seniors Leah Hall (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central), Bree Fuller (Hubbardston, Mich./Fulton), Rachel Harris (Uniontown, Ohio/Hoover), Amy Newell (Three Rivers, Mich./Three Rivers) and Jamie Schnarr (Kettering, Ohio/Kettering) will join Searles as they play the final regular-season home games of their Thunder careers.