ANGOLA, Ind.-- The Trine baseball team swept a doubleheader against Kalamazoo on a beautiful afternoon Sunday at Jannen Field.
The Thunder got strong pitching performances in both games, only giving up one run all afternoon. Colton Conn (Cincinnati, Ohio / Indian Hill) paced them offensively, going 4-for-6 on the day with two RBI and three runs, extending his team-leading hitting streak to 11 games. Trine improved to 15-11 (11-5 MIAA) with the two wins. Kalamazoo fell to 13-11-1 (9-7 MIAA).
Game One: Trine 4, Kalamazoo 1
Vinny Slobodecki (Carol Stream, Ill. / Glenbard North) pitched a complete game as the Thunder dispatched of the Hornets in game one 4-1.
Slobodecki needed just 73 pitches to get through seven innings, throwing a highly-efficient 55 of them for strikes. He gave up one earned run on four hits. Conn was 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run, extending his team-leading hitting streak to 10 games. Drew Palmer (Hartford, Wis. / Hartford Union) added two RBI, one of them coming on a fourth inning home run.
Kalamazoo started the scoring in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly by second baseman Ryan Orr. Palmer's home run tied it up, and Trine took the lead in the fifth on an RBI single by Conn, followed by a sacrifice fly from Palmer and an RBI single from J.J. LaBounty (Avon, Ind. / Covenant Christian).
The Hornets looked like they had a rally in the works in the seventh when Connor Grant lined a ball into right field for a base hit, advancing Mitchell VanKoevering to third. However, Grant got thrown out trying to stretch it into a double by Kory Shackle (Butler, Ohio / Mount Vernon), and the Thunder got a groundout to win it.
Slobodecki went to 3-2 on the season with the win. Dylan Pierce started and took the loss for Kalamazoo, dropping to 2-1 on the season. He went four and two thirds innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and two walks.
Game Two: Trine 7, Kalamazoo 0
The story was once again pitching for Trine in the second game, as the shutout Kalamazoo 7-0.
Brandon Mylcraine (Plainfield, Ind. / Plainfield) pitched seven masterful innings, giving up no runs on two hits. He threw 93 pitches total, striking out two and walking one. Jacob Heller (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Prairie Heights) had two RBIs and two runs on two hits to help lead the Thunder. LaBounty also had two hits and two RBIs.
Mylcraine retired the last nine batters he faced, and Christian Jones (Poseyville, Ind. / North Posey) and Jake Weimer (Pittsboro, Ind. / Brownsburg) each pitched scoreless innings. Trine pitching allowed six total baserunners (three singles, two walks, and an error) in game two.
Mylcraine is now 2-1 on the season after the win. Connor Young (1-1) started and got the loss for the Hornets, pitching four and one third innings and giving up five runs (two earned) on six hits.
Trine returns to action Tuesday when they travel to Bethel (Ind.) for a nonconference game. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Article contributed by Grant Tingley, Trine University, New Media Communication '19
