ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University baseball team outlasted Olivet College in their home and Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) opener on Jannen Field on Saturday in a doubleheader. The Thunder (7-10, 2-0 MIAA) took the first game 3-0 and won 13-3 in seven innings on the backend of the twinbill against the Comets (5-11, 0-2 MIAA).
GAME ONE RECAP:
Starting pitcher Josh Hoogewerf [Crown Point, Ind. / Crown Point] twirled a 1-2-3 top of the first inning with a pair of punchouts, and in the bottom half, the Trine offense used a pair of singles by Tyler Robinson [Schaumburg, Ill. / Schaumburg] and Avery Fulford [Conifer, Colo. / Conifer] to plate a run on a groundout by Brenden Warner [Richland, Mich. / Hackett Catholic Prep].
Hoogewerf helped himself out in the top of the second with a two-out defensive play on a dribbler down the third base line to keep the zero on the scoreboard. Once again in the fourth, Hoogewerf caught a liner back at him with two on to erase the scoring opportunity for Olivet.
The Comets loaded the bases in the fifth without recording a hit, but Hoogewerf worked out of the jam with a pickoff move from Matt Weis [Trenton, Ill. / Triad] to Dalton Nikirk [Bedford, Ind. / Bedford North Lawrence] at first. The bottom half saw the Thunder extend the lead to three via a Fulford sacrifice fly and passed ball that scored Adam Stefanelli [Westerville, Ohio / Westerville North].
After a scoreless sixth, Jeff Ballard [Munster, Ind. / Munster] emerged from the Trine bullpen to hold the game. A harmless walk would be the only Comet hitter to reach in his two innings of work. Noah Brettin [Rolling Prairie, Ind. / New Prairie] notched his third save of the 2022 campaign with two groundouts and a flyout to secure the 3-0 victory.
Robinson was 2-for-3 in the opening game with a walk and a run scored. Fulford and Warner each had one RBI. Hogewerf received the win (1-2) with six shutout innings where he surrendered just three hits.
GAME TWO RECAP:
Olivet got on the board for the first time in game two in the top of the first. Two stolen bases helped get the run across on a groundball on the infield. A two-out double by Gary DeMartino [Beavercreek, Ohio / Owens C.C.] evened the game at one in the bottom half.
Jackson O'Keefe [Saline, Mich. / Saline / Owens CC] reached on an infield single in the second and another two-out hit, this time by Matthew Martin [Eureka, Ill. / Eureka], made it 2-1 Thunder.
Olivet partook in some scoring with two away as well in the third with an RBI single up the middle, but the tie would be short lived. O'Keefe doubled down the left field line that brought in two and circled the bases himself after the outfielder misplayed the ball to make take a 5-2 Trine lead.
A delayed steal of home in the fourth inning brought the game to within two, 5-3, but the Thunder got two more in the bottom following a DeMartino sacrifice fly and O'Keefe RBI single to go up 7-3.
The next six runs also belonged to the home team in the seven-inning win. In the fifth, Warner, DeMartino and Easton Rhodes [Auburn, Ind. / DeKalb] had consecutive two out hits that drove in four total to widen the gap. The sixth saw two unearned runs cross the plate as well to get to the 13-3 result.
Bryce Bloode [New Carlisle, Ind. / New Prairie] got the win (1-4) with five innings of work with two earned runs coming across to score. Robert Kortas [New Baltimore, Mich. / Anchor Bay] pitched the sixth and seventh innings, where he kept Olivet hitless.
Trine had 16 hits in total, with Warner, DeMartino and O'Keefe leading the way at three each. DeMartino drove in four, and the leadoff man Robinson was plated four times in the game.
Up next, the Thunder travel to Olivet to complete the three-game set on Sunday, April 3 at 1 pm.
