ANGOLA, Ind. - In a re-match of last week’s game, but with a different results, the Trine University baseball team fell to Siena Heights 6-2. The loss drops the Thunder to .500 on the season at 10-10.
In the top of the first, the Thunder escaped trouble after a two-out single nearly plated a run. Left fielder, junior Steve Cornett (Bremen, Ind./Bremen) was able to find cutoff man, senior Kyle Kleiman (Portage, Mich./Portage Central) who delivered a perfect strike to sophomore Ben Witter (Naples, Fla./Golden Gate) who applied the tag to the runner at the plate.
The Saints would score first, in the third inning as they led off the inning with a single and a walk. Trine allowed the inning to be extended on an error on a sacrifice bunt as the Saints would tally five runs on five hits in the inning.
Trine got one back in the bottom of the inning as freshman Ethan Prebynski (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) hit a hard grounder off the pitchers leg to reach base. Then, with two outs, an error by the Saints right fielder allowed the Thunder put runners on the corners where Cornett delivered a single to right, scoring Prebynski from third.
The Thunder threatened in the seventh, as they had two runners in scoring position, but were unable to drive in the runs.
Siena Heights added a run in the eighth on a solo shot to left to go up 6-1.
Trine would tack on a run in the bottom of the inning as senior Josh Rivera (Somonauk, Ill./Somonauk) led off the inning with a walk. Rivera would advance to second on a ground out and then third on a wild pitch. Junior Tom Wilder (Petersburg, Mich./Summerfield) would score Rivera from there on an RBI ground out to the third baseman.
Trine would have an opportunity in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game as they loaded the bases. A leadoff walk, followed by one-out and two-out singles would load the bases before the final Trine batter would be retired.
Trine used five pitchers in the game as freshman Korbin Baird (Elizabethtown, Ind./Jennings County) started, and took the loss going three inning and allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits while striking out and walking two batters. Senior Phil Cappelletty (Tipton, Mich./Adrian) was the only other Trine pitcher to allow a run in an inning of work, as the only hit he gave up was the home run in the eighth inning.
Prebynski led all players, going a perfect 3-3 on the afternoon while scoring a run. Three other players each had a hit, as Cornett and Wilder both drove in a run.
Trine will return to conference action on April 6 as they host Alma for a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader.