ADA, Ohio – The Trine University softball team had hot bats for the day as they recorded seven home runs in a sweep of host Ohio Northern University.
In the first half of the doubleheader, the Thunder picked up a victory by the score of 5-3. Junior Michaela Hartline (Niles, Mich. / Brandywine) started the scoring in the top of the second inning driving in a run with a double and giving the team a 1-0 lead.
They would add to that lead in the top of the fourth when senior Lainey McCue (Westlake, Ohio / Westlake) tallied her second homer of the season. Later in the inning, junior Makenna Hartline (Niles, Mich. / Brandywine) came up with another homer for the team scoring two more runs to put the Thunder up 4-0 heading into the bottom half of the inning.
The Polar Bears tallied a home run of their own in the bottom of the fourth to pull back within three at 4-1. They pulled even closer in the sixth with a two-RBI double.
Trine would add an insurance run in the seventh on an error before shutting out the opposition in the bottom half of the inning to pick up the victory 5-3.
Junior Hannah Kampmann (St. Paul, Minn. / Cretin Derham Hall) picked up a win in the circle with five innings of work including four strikeouts. Senior Kate Saupe (Farwell, Mich. / Farwell) finished off the game earning a save along the way.
The Thunder offense continued to click in the second game of the day as they scored two runs in three of the first four innings, each time coming with one swing of the bat.
In the first, sophomore Mercede Daugherty (Watervilet, Mich. / Watervilet) came up with the clutch single scoring a runner from second and third. In the third, junior Victoria Porter (Canton, Mich. / Canton) brought in the runs with a double. Daugherty did it again in the fourth, this time with a two-run shot to right center.
In the fifth, the Hartline twins brought their bats into play. Michaela started the inning strong with a solo homer to left field, chasing the oppositions starting pitcher from the circle. Makenna followed it up two batters later with a home run of her own, scoring two for Trine.
The Thunder kept the long-ball going in the sixth. Freshman Lexi Ayers (Logansport, Ind. / Logansport) led off the inning with a home run and was quickly followed by junior Claire Ryan (Union Grove, Wis. / Union Grove) tallying a home run of her own.
The two runs gave the team an 11-2 lead and after shutting out the opposition in the bottom half of the inning it would become the final in the run-rule victory.
Saupe pitched the complete game finishing with the win with three strikeouts.
Trine improves to 10-2 following the pair of victories. They will take the home diamond for the first time this season on Tuesday, March 26 when they face off with Anderson University. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.