LOUISVILLE, KY. – The Trine softball team is ranked ninth in the nation according to the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Top 25 poll released this morning.
The Thunder received 136 points in this week's poll. Trine was ranked sixth last week and have been ranked as high as fifth in the poll this spring. Two other teams in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) were featured in the poll with Calvin College entering the poll at No. 20 and Hope College dropping to No. 23.
Last week the Thunder went 3-1 with a sweep of Olivet College and a split with Alma College. The Thunder currently own a 20-4 record and are tied for second in the MIAA with Alma.
The Thunder currently own a 3-2 record against teams ranked in the Top 25, following a challenging start to the season where the team traveled to the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The team's wins come over St. John Fisher (T11), Babson (T20) and Central (Iowa) (T23). The two losses came against East Texas Baptist (T11) and Saint Benedict (19).
Trine leads the nation with a team batting average of .426, in scoring with 11.25 runs per game and with a .690 team slugging percentage. They come in second with 1.54 home runs per game having belted 37 balls out of the park in their first 24 games.
Senior Kaylee Fox (Vermilion, Ohio / Edison) leads the power surge for the Thunder batting in a national high 49 runners this season on the back of 12 homers, good enough for third-most in the country. She recently added Trine career RBI leader to her resume, in addition to Trine career home run leader which she notched last year.
Fellow senior Erica Robles (Long Beach, Calif. / Lakewood) has been a fixture on the base path this year on the back of a national high 53 hits. She has recorded a conference-high .589 batting average and 15 stolen bases so far this season. Sophomores Makenna Hartline (Niles, Mich. / Brandywine) with seven and Michaela Hartline (Niles, Mich. / Brandywine) with five join Fox as top five home run hitters in the MIAA.
Trine will next take the diamond when they host Kalamazoo College for a doubleheader. The games are currently scheduled for tomorrow, April 5 starting at 3:30 p.m.