ADRIAN, MICH. -- The Trine University baseball team was defeated in both games of a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association doubleheader against Adrian (Mich.) College at Nicolay Field in Adrian, Mich.
In game one, Adrian (27-6, 19-3 MIAA) grabbed the early lead with four runs in the bottom of the first inning that was capped by a three-run double with bases loaded. The Bulldogs added to their lead in the third with a pair of runs thanks to a triple with runners on first and second base to make the score, 6-0.
Trine (14-20, 7-15 MIAA) got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning when junior Jake Roddy (Angola, Ind./Angola) drove in a run on a single to center field that scored senior Cale Hall (Orleans, Ind./Orleans) to score from second and make it a 6-1 game. Adrian then took a commanding lead with eight runs in the bottom of the inning that included a pair of two-run triples to extend the margin to 14-1.
The runs in the fourth turned out to be the final runs of the game as Adrian went on to win by the final of, 14-1.
Trine ended the game with four hits with Cale Hall and Roddy both going one-of-three in addition to Cale Hall scoring a run and Roddy a RBI. Junior Chase Hall (Orleans, Ind./Orleans) had a hit in two plate appearances and senior Jacob Heller (Fort Wayne, Ind./Prairie Heights) was one-of-three at the plate.
Adrian scored the first eight runs of game two, starting with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. The Bulldogs went on to add a run in the third, a run in the fourth, three runs in the fifth and another run in the sixth to lead, 8-0.
Trine ended the shutout with a run in the top of the seventh inning that came on a groundout by sophomore Shayne Devine (Valparaiso, Ind./Portage) that was set up by a lead-off double by Heller who later advanced to third via a wild pitch before coming home to score.
In the top of the eighth, Chase Hall led things off with a triple which was followed by a base knock by senior Stevie Sieczkowski (Norwich, Conn./Norwich Technical) that allowed Chase Hall to score and make it an 8-2 game. The Thunder weren't done offensively as Sieczkowski stole second and then advanced to third on the same play due to a throwing error. In the next Trine at-bat, junior Thomas Rivet (Howell, Mich./Hartland) hit an infield single to score Sieczkowski for the inning's second run.
But those would be the final runs of the game as Trine was held scoreless the rest of the way and Adrian would go on to claim the 8-3 win and the two-game sweep.
Five different players each recorded a base hit in the game for Trine. Devine had a hit in three attempts to go along with the RBI. Chase Hall's triple in the eighth was his only hit of the nightcap and went one-of-three overall in addition to scoring a run. Heller finished one-of-four with a run scored and Sieczkowski had one hit in three tries with a run scored and RBI. Rivet tallied a hit in three at-bats and also had a RBI.
Four players saw action on the mound with freshman Bryce Bloode (New Carlisle, Ind./New Prairie) getting the start, but suffered the loss after pitched four innings and gave up seven runs, five earned, on seven hits and had three strikeouts.
Trine will take on the same Adrian team on Sunday (Apr. 28) to conclude the four-game series with another MIAA twinbill that will be played at Jannen Field in Angola, Ind. The first game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
