ANGOLA, Ind.-- The Trine baseball team was swept in a doubleheader by Kalamazoo Saturday afternoon at Woodworth Field.
Hornet pitching held the Thunder to three runs on the day, while Kalamazoo's bats provided 28 hits. Ryan Orr's complete game led the Hornets to a 6-1 victory in game one. Kalamazoo notched 21 hits in a 14-2 victory in game two. Colton Conn (Cincinnati, Ohio / Indian Hill) extended his hitting streak to nine games with a three-hit day for the Thunder. Ian Kobernick notched five hits, including three doubles, and drove in two runs for the Hornets. Trine fell to 13-11 overall, 9-5 in MIAA play. Kalamazoo improved to 13-9-1, 9-5 in conference play.
Game One: Kalamazoo 6, Trine 1
Orr's pitching was the story as the Hornets took game one.
The sophomore struck out eight in his complete game victory. Orr held scattered six hits and allowed one earned run to impove to 5-1 on the year.
Five runs in the third provided most of the scoring for Kalamazoo. Connor Grant and Jordan Wiley each provided two-run singles in the inning. Brett Garwood added an RBI-single.
Mitchell VanKoevering tacked on a run-scoring single in the fourth.
The Thunder scored its run in the top of the sixth on Dean Klann's (Dowagiac, Mich. / Dowagiac Union) RBI-groundout to bring home Conn.
Game Two: Kalamazoo 14, Trine 2
The Thunder was able to take an early lead, but the Hornets stormed back with a pair of big innings to put the game away.
After Kobernick got the Hornets on the board first with an RBI-single in the bottom of the second, Trine answered with two runs in the top of the fourth to take a 2-1 lead. J.J. LaBounty's (Avon, Ind. / Covenant Christian) RBI-groundout scored Bob Ross (Valparaiso, Ind. / Washington Township) to tie the score. Kory Shackle (Butler, Ohio / Mount Vernon) later scored on an error to give the Thunder a 2-1 advantage.
The lead wouldn't last, as Kalamazoo answered with eight runs in the bottom of the fourth. David Kracht and VanKoevering each knocked in two in the inning.
The Hornets would add three more in the bottom of the sixth. Kalamazoo totaled 21 hits in game two.
Trine will look to bounce back when the teams conclude their MIAA series tomorrow at Jannen Field. The two teams enter the doubleheader tied for second in the conference. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
