AUBURNDALE, FLA. -- The Trine University baseball team wrapped up an already impressive week with two more victories against Grove City (Pa.) College to end its spring Flordia trip with a perfect 8-0 mark. The Thunder defeated the Wolverines by the scores of 5-4 (eight innings) and 8-1 in a doubleheader at Lake Myrtle Complex in Auburndale, Fla.
In game one, the contest remained scoreless until the top of the third inning when Grove City (4-4) scored two runs on a double to grab the lead.
The Wolverines then added to their lead with two more runs in the sixth to make it a 4-0 ball game. But Trine (9-2) answered in its half of the frame by crossing home plate three times thanks to a two-run triple by junior Jake Conley (Moline, Ill./Black Hawk CC), followed by a defensive error that allowed Conley to score and narrow the gap to 4-3.
The three runs by Trine in the sixth were the beginning of a streak of five unanswered runs that continued in Trine's seventh inning on a single by sophomore Brenden Warner (Richland, Mich./Hackett Catholic Prep) that followed a double by fellow junior Joe Fiorucci (St. Joseph, Mich./St. Joseph) in the previous at-bat. Fiorucci scored the tying run on Warner's single (4-4) to send the game into extras.
After a scoreless top of the eighth, Trine recorded two quick outs before a hit by pitch with senior Chase Hall (Orleans, Ind./Orleans) at the plate extended the inning. During the very next at-bat, junior Shayne Devine (Valparaiso, Ind./Portage) connected on a triple that allowed Hall to score the game-winner and send Trine to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory.
Trine ended the game with six hits and had one multi-hitter in Fiorucci who finished two-for-two and also scored a run. Conley was one of four other players to record and hit and finished one-of-four to go along with a run scored and two RBI.
At pitcher, junior Adam Wheaton (Kalamazoo, Mich./Hackett Catholic Prep) got the start and pitched five complete innings in a no decision. He allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits and struck out six batters. Junior Kyle Robinson (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) finished the game and got the win after pitching three scoreless innings after allowing three hits and had four strikeouts.
In the nightcap, Trine scored seven of its eight runs in the first two innings, starting with a three-run top of the first that included a two-RBI single by senior Nick Ricci (Hebron, Ind./Crown Point). Grove City got a run back in its half of the inning to narrow the gap to a pair of runs, 3-1.
Trine then got some additional breathing room in the second with four more runs that included a run-scoring single by freshman Matt Weis (Trenton, Ill./Triad) and a pair of sacrifice flyouts by Conley and Hall to make it a 7-1 game.
The final run came in the top of the fifth inning when Trine crossed home plate on a solo homerun by Ricci as the Thunder went on to claim the 8-1 victory.
Trine was led at the plate by Ricci who finished two-of-three with a run scored and three RBI. Conley ended the game one-of-three to go along with a run scored and RBI and junior A.J. Mitchell (Emmett, Mich./Kellogg CC) had a hit in three at-bats and scored two runs.
Sophomore Bryce Bloode (New Carlisle, Ind./New Prairie) started on the mound in game two and pitched five innings to get the win after giving up just one run on four hits and had three strikeouts. Sophomores Robert Webb (Clyde, Ohio/Clyde) and Shawn Conover (Kenton, Ohio/Kenton Senior) both pitched a perfect inning of relief and Conover also tallied one strikeout.
Trine will return North and are scheduled to travel to Oberlin, Ohio for a non-conference twinbill against Oberlin College on Saturday, Mar. 14. The first game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.