TUCSON, ARIZ. – The Trine University softball team improved to 4-0 with another pair of victories over nationally ranked teams, yesterday.
The Thunder began the day with a full game thriller against nationally second ranked St. John Fisher College, coming from behind in the final inning to win, 9-7. In the second game the Thunder needed just five innings to come away with a 12-4 win over #18 Messiah College.
In the first game, the Thunder pulled out to an early lead in larger part due to a three-run double in the top of the third by senior Kaylee Fox (Vermillion, Ohio / Edison) that put them up 4-0. The Cardinals came soaring back over the next two innings scoring four in the fourth and three in the fifth to pull ahead of Trine 7-4.
Both teams would go scoreless in the sixth, bringing the Thunder to bat three outs from their first loss of the season. The offense found its groove right away in the inning with junior Lainey McCue (Westlake, Ohio / Westlake) coming away with the leadoff triple. She crossed home two batters later with a single from sophomore Claire Ryan (Union Grove, Wis. / Union Grove). Senior Erica Robles (Long Beach, Calif. / Lakewood) tied the game with a two run single later in the inning. Finally Fox gave the Thunder the lead with a sac fly that scored a run and Robles made it home from second base on a throwing error.
Trine held on to the 9-7 lead through the bottom of the inning to come away with their third victory of the season.
The Thunder kept the offense running in the second game of the day, pulling ahead to a 4-2 lead after the first inning. They would add three runs in each of the next two innings and two more in the fourth to pull ahead 12-4 heading into the top of the fifth. They would hold on to the eight run lead and end the game following Messiahs scoreless top half of the inning.
Fox recorded a RBI single and a HR in the game to once again lead the way offensively for the Thunder. With the victory Trine improves to 4-0 on the season.
Today, Sunday, March 4, the Thunder will take on #13 East Texas Baptist University at 4 p.m. EST and then finish of the NFCA Leadoff Classic taking on Otterbein University at 6:30 p.m. EST.