ANGOLA, IND. -- The Trine University softball team defeated Kalamazoo College twice for their second straight sweep in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play.
In game one the Thunder started scoring early in the contest, coming away with two runs in their first at-bat. Freshman Mercede Daughtery (Watervilet, Mich. / Watervilet) drove in one run with a standup double. The other run came on a wild pitch coming as the Hornets intentionally walked senior Kaylee Fox (Vermilion, Ohio / Edison).
The Hornets tied the game at two with a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the second. The score would remain tied at two until the bottom of the third when sophomore Claire Ryan (Union Grove, Wis. / Union Grove) drove in one with a double to right field. The Thunder would add one more in the inning to take a 4-2 lead into the fourth.
Kalamazoo once again responded with two outs in the fourth inning, coming away with a three-run homer to take a 5-4 lead.
The lead did not last long as the Thunder plated four in the bottom half of the inning to take an 8-5 lead. Junior Lainey McCue (Westlake, Ohio / Westlake) drove in three of those runs with a bases-clearing double in her at-bat.
With the lead, Trine brought in sophomore Danielle Ray (Hamilton, Ohio / Badin) who pitched three scoreless innings in relief to earn her second save of the season. She recorded five strikeouts in the outing allowing just one hit and one walk. Junior Kate Saupe (Farwell, Mich. / Farwell) started the game and recorded the win, her eighth of the season.
The Thunder added one more run in the bottom of the sixth to finish the game with the 9-5 victory. McCue's three RBIs led the way for the Thunder with Ryan coming in second for the team with two.
Fox was intentionally walked three times to start the game, giving her a streak of six such walks starting in the second game against Olivet College. She would finish the game with four walks and just the second stolen base of her career.
Game two started off as a bit of a pitcher duel with only one run being scored in the first three innings. The lone run came in the top of the second inning when freshman Kennedy Baugh (Walton, Ky. / Notre Dame Academy) doubled to center field.
The Thunder offense blew the game open in the fourth and fifth innings coming away with a combined five runs. Robles recorded two RBIs during the stretch while fellow senior Emily White (Fortville, Ind. / Mount Vernon) came away with another.
Trine would add two more in the seventh inning to finish off their night with eight runs. White came away with another RBI via groundout and Baugh notched her first career triple to score the other run.
Sophomore Hannah Kampmann (St. Paul, Minn. / Cretin Derham Hall) got the start for the Thunder and pitched a great game, allowing just one run on three hits while recording five strikeouts. A solo home run was the lone mark against her the contest. The 8-1 victory was her team-high ninth of the season.
With the two wins, the Thunder improve to 22-4 overall and 5-1 in the MIAA. The team currently sits in second in conference standings. Trine will take the diamond again when they travel to face Albion College on Wednesday, April 11 with first pitch scheduled for 3:30 p.m.