ANGOLA, Ind. - It was the perfect end to the final day of classes for the fourth ranked Trine University softball team as they swept Saint Mary’s College 4-0 and 22-2 en route to winning their second straight, and fifth of the last seven MIAA Conference Championships. It also means that the Thunder will host the MIAA Conference Tournament May 2-3.
Trine, now 31-3 on the year and 14-0 in the conference, dominated game one behind senior pitcher Andi Gasco (Levering, Mich./Petoskey) as she threw her second no-hitter of the season and third of her career. The lone base runners Gasco allowed came in the top of the first on a walk and a hit batter. From there, she retired 18 straight batters, throwing jus the second no-hitter for Trine in MIAA play.
Trine would get a pair of runs in the third on a two-out single by senior Lauren Harris (Uniontown, Ohio/Hoover) that plated a pair of runs after the inning had been extended by a Belles error.
In the fourth, Trine added a pair of runs after a leadoff triple by senior Sarah Belote (Bronson, Mich./Bronson). She would then score on a groundout by sophomore Rachel Harris (Uniontown, Ohio/Hoover). Fellow sophomore Carly Searles (Levering, Mich./Petoskey) would single with two outs and then steal second, her 31st of the season setting a new Trine record. Searles would score on a single by freshman Kaitlyn Clark (Mount Juliet, Tenn./Wilson Central).
Gasco notched her 16th win of the season as she struck out six over the seven innings of no-hit ball.
The nightcap started very differently for the Thunder as they jumped out to a 1-0 lead as Searles tripled and then scored on a bad relay throw. Trine would add two more runs in the inning on a pair of hits by Lauren Harris and sophomore Leah Hall (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central).
In the second, the Thunder got a pair of leadoff doubles by junior Haleigh Daniels (Hamilton, Ohio/Hamilton) and Searles. Another pair of singles by Clark and sophomore Amy Newell (Three Rivers, Mich./Three Rivers) plated two more runs for Trine.
Trine loaded the bases in the third, but Saint Mary’s escaped damage. The Belles wouldn’t be so lucky in the fourth inning.
After a leadoff double by Hall, two outs later Daniels singled. Trine would then get a single by Searles, and doubles by Clark and Newell. Gasco would be hit by a pitch and Lauren Harris then delivered a single to plate two more runs.
In the bottom of the inning, the Belles would score their only runs on a one-out, two-run home run by Jillian Busfield.
Trine wasn’t done yet though as they exploded for 10 runs in the top of the fifth including six straight hits at one point. Belote had a pair of singles in the inning while Rachel Harris had an RBI triple and a two-run homer to left center. Newell would also have a two-run shot to left center in the fifth.
In game two alone, the Thunder collected 28 hits including 12 for extra bases. Every starter had a hit and a run in the game, while eight starters had at least two hits and one RBI.
Sophomore Bree fuller (Hubbardston, Mich./Fulton) earned her 12th victory of the year allowing two earned runs on four hits while striking out nine in just five innings of work.
For the day, Clark led the Thunder going 6-for-9 at the plate with four RBIs and scoring four times. Lauren Harris and Searles both went 5-for-8 in the series. Harris led the squad with 6 RBIs on the day and Searles score four times. Newell had four’s all around with four hits, four runs and four RBIs. Hall had three hits on the afternoon, all doubles, and drove in three runs and scored twice. Daniels and Belote also had three hits on the day. Daniels scored four runs and drove in two while Belote scored three times. Rachel Harris added a pair of hits and drove in four runs.
With her hit in game two, Gasco set a new Trine career record for hits with her 180th. Also in the second game, Searles set a new conference single-season record with her fifth triple in MIAA play.
Trine will wrap up their regular season as they host Albion for a doubleheader on April 28 starting at 11:00 a.m.
