ANGOLA, Ind. -- The Trine University softball team came away with two shutout victories over visiting Manchester University.
The Thunder dominated both sides of the ball in the first game of the day as the Thunder won 10-0 in five innings. Trine took the early lead in the game with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. They then blew the doors off in the second with six runs, before adding their final runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Freshman Taylor Murdock (Lapel, Ind. / Lapel) led the way offensively for the team finishing the game two-for-two with two doubles and three RBIs, a team high. Three other members of the team came away with two RBIs including senior Lainey McCue (Westlake, Ohio / Westlake), junior Victoria Porter (Canton, Mich. / Canton) and freshman Ashley Swartout (Westfield, Ind. / Westfield)
In the circle, junior Hannah Kampmann turned in her best performance of the season as she faced just one more batter than necessary in the contest (16 in five innings pitched) and allowed just one hit and no walks. She added three strikeouts as she picked up her eighth win of the season.
Trine's bats were cooled in the second game of the day but the team received good pitching again on their way to a 2-0 victory. The team's first run in the game came in the bottom of the second inning when sophomore Mackenzi Cannici (Huntington, Ind. / Huntington North) came up with a bases-loaded single. McCue gave the Thunder their other run of the game in the bottom of the next inning with an RBI ground out.
In the circle senior Kate Saupe (Farwell, Mich. / Farwell) started the contest and pitched three good innings allowing just three baserunners on two hits. She ran into trouble in the fourth loading the bases and forcing a change. Freshman Holly Loveless (Frankfort, Ind. / Clinton Prairie) rescued the team from the jam and proceeded to pitch the final four innings of the game allowing just two hits and no walks. She also struck out two while earning her first win of the season.
The Thunder improve to 19-3 overall following the pair of wins. They will return to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play by traveling to face Kalamazoo College on Wednesday, April 10. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.