ANDERSON, Ind. – The Trine University softball team cruised to a pair of lopsided victories over their hosts from Anderson (Ind.) University. The Thunder combined in the two games to post 32 runs.
Trine wasted no time taking a commanding lead in the opening game of the day. They would score eight runs in the top of the first inning while batting through the lineup plus three more. Senior Ellie Trine led off with a walk in her first at-bat scoring on a passed ball for the first run of the game.
Through the rest of the inning five members of the team recorded at least one RBI to build the lead. Amanda Prather, Ashleigh Tranter and Cassie Woods all recorded one runner batted in while Giselle Riley and Ellie Trine each came up with two. Ellie Trine had the distinction of scoring the first and last runs of the inning.
Freshman Debbie Hill scored the lone run of the second inning with a home run, with Prather and Riley each recording two-run homers of their own in the third. Karley Trine and Hill would record home runs to start the scoring in the fourth, before Tranter and freshman Emma Lee each brought in more runs later on.
Freshman Reese Ruvalcaba and sophomore Angelena Perry brought in the final two runs in the fifth inning to give the team a 21-0 lead.
Junior Alexis Michon pitched all five innings of the game. She finished with ten strikeouts while allow just two hits. The second hit was a home run that scored the Ravens' lone run in the bottom of the fifth to give the final 21-1 score.
Ellie Trine went on to score the first run of the second game as well. After leading off with a double she reached third on a passed ball and then when her sister, Karley Trine, recorded on a single. Karley Trine then stole second and forced a throwing error by the catcher to reach home herself.
Anderson responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning before both offenses went quiet for the next two innings.
Ellie Trine broke up the stalemate with an RBI in the fourth, before a homerun by the Ravens in the bottom half made the score 3-2.
Hill got her third home run of the day in the top of the fifth and sophomore Ainsley Phillips recorded an RBI single to make the score 6-2. After the bases reloaded, Lee forced an error from the pitcher and reached third base, bringing three runs home. Karley Trine finished off the inning with her second homer of the day.
Anderson tried to stave off the run-rule in the bottom of the fifth but only scored one run with the game ending 11-3 in favor of Trine.
Junior Lauren Clausen and Hill split time in the circle for the team. Clausen had the start and allowed two of the runs while striking out three. Hill entered for the final two innings and allowed just one run on one hit while striking out a pair.
The Thunder improve to 14-2 following the win. They will continue their season when they faceoff with Spalding University tomorrow, Thursday, March 30. The games will be played with the University of Indianapolis serving as a neutral site and are set to start at 1 p.m.