KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Trine University softball team secured their fourth straight, and 12th overall, Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Championship with a pair of lopsided victories over their hosts from Kalamazoo College.
The offense was rolling from the start of the first game of the day. Cassie Woods started the inning on base after being hit by pitch then stole second. After a groundout, Karley Trine reached on a walk and then also nabbed second to put a pair in scoring position. Freshman Debbie Hill brought both home with a double to left center.
Hill started in circle as well and pitched a quick first inning. She forced a pair of groundouts and struck out another to send the 2-0 score into the second.
Sophomore Emma Beyer reached on a single before scoring from first when Woods doubled to right center in the second inning. Karley Trine then brought home Woods on a single later in the inning. The team added two more in the third as well, this time on a fielder's choice and error along with a sacrifice fly for Karley Trine.
The team put the game completely out of reach in the top of the fourth, scoring five runs and building an 11-0 lead. Freshmen Reese Ruvalcaba and Michaela Doiron joined Beyer by each recording RBI hits during the inning before Karley Trine finished off the scoring with a two-RBI hit.
Junior Alexis Michon relieved Hill in the circle for the bottom of the fourth. Hill finished her three innings allowing just one hit while striking out three. Michon went the final two innings of the contest allowing no baserunners while striking out four.
With the team's switching on the scoreboard in the second game, senior Anna Koeppl started the second game in the circle for the Thunder. She ended up pitching for four innings allowing just a hit and a walk while striking out seven on her way to her 13th win of the season.
The offense didn't miss a beat, scoring four runs in the first inning. Karley Trine brought in the first run with a double down the left field line. Senior Amanda Prather brought home the next two on a double to left center and Beyer finished off the first with a single up the middle.
The team added two in the second with who else but Karley Trine bringing home the first, this time by forcing an error in the outfield. Hill brought home the second with a double to left center in the next at bat.
Trine put the Hornets down to their final three outs in the bottom of the fourth, scoring three runs to make the total 9-0. Karley Trine added two RBIs on a double to start the inning followed by Prather recording a single RBI on her double.
Junior Lauren Clausen entered the circle for the top of the fifth looking to close out the win and did so with three quick outs, including a pair of strikeouts to finish up.
The team secured their championship with the win in the first half of the doubleheader, but improved to a commanding 15-1 in MIAA play, and 32-4 overall, with the swept. With the regular season concluded they look ahead to the MIAA Tournament which they will host beginning on Thursday, May 11. The field for the tournament is set, with Calvin University, Alma College and Adrian College rounding out the field of four. The Thunder will face Adrian in their first game.