HOLLAND, Mich. - The Trine University baseball team pulled out two important wins in the MIAA Tournament as the No.3 seeded Thunder came from behind to defeat No. 4 seed Calvin 4-3 in 11 innings and knocked off top seeded Hope 3-2.
Trine, 24-19, needed extra innings in the first elimination game. The Thunder scored first, as they plated a run in the fourth inning as senior Matt Zurbriggen (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) brought home fellow senior Tom Wilder (Petersburg, Mich./Summerfield) on a sacrifice fly to right.
Calvin would plate a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth on a 2-RBI single. The Knights would add another run in the seventh on a two-out RBI double.
The Thunder trailed heading into the eighth, but they still had the fight left in them. Junior Jeff Phillips (Prospect, Ohio/Marion Pleasant) singled with one out and then after a batter was retired, junior Andrew DeGood (Hamilton, Mich./Hamilton) would also single. Wilder would then deliver for the Thunder with a double to score both runs and tie the game.
Both teams would have their chances in the ninth, but neither was able to plate the winning run.
In the 10th, neither team was able to get much going as the Thunder had a runner on but a double play ended the inning.
Zurbriggen got things started in the 11th with a one out single. After freshman Kory Shackle (Butler, Ohio/Mount Vernon) reached on an error by the Calvin pitcher, sophomore Ethan Prebynski (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) would drive in Zurbriggen on an groundout to the short stop.
Calvin would get a two-out hit in the bottom of the 11th, but the next batter was retired to give the Thunder the victory.
Senior Kale Popp (Rensselaer, Ind./Kankakee Valley) went six innings in the no decision, allowing two earned runs on six hits while striking out one. Fellow senior, and All-MIAA First Team selection, Phil Stakely (Ostrander, Ohio/Buckeye Valley) came on to pitch five innings of relief and allowed one run on five hits and struck out three Calvin batters to earn his sixth win.
In the second elimination game against Hope, all five runs in the game would come an inning apart. The Thunder would plate all three of their runs in bottom of the fifth while Hope plated both of their runs in the top of the sixth.
In the fifth, Trine scored all three runs with two outs. Prebynski would reach on a two-out single and then Hope would commit a costly error off the bat of freshman Jake Kendall (New Castle, Ind./New Castle). Phillips would then deliver a single to plate the first run. Freshman Carter Stafford (Waterloo, Ind./DeKalb) would then knock the game-winning drive as he doubled home a pair of runs.
The Dutchmen would get both of their runs in the sixth on a double, but the damage could have been worse as they left two runners on base in the inning.
Sophomore Edward Tomich (Carmel, Ind./Westfield) went the distance for the Thunder on the mound, pitching a complete game four-hitter while striking out four Hope batters.
The Thunder will now face Adrian, and must defeat the Bulldogs twice to win the MIAA crown. The first game will begin at noon, with the if-necessary game following immediately after.
