ORLANDO, Fla. -- The wind howled through the park as the Trine University softball team ended the day with a split. They dropped their opening contest of the day to York (Pa.) College before responded with a win over the Milwaukee School of Engineering.
The Thunder once again found themselves down in the first inning as they allowed three runs to the Spartans in the first inning. From there York was able to use the wind to their advantage and keep the Thunder off the board through the first six innings of the contest.
In the top of the seventh inning, Trine was finally able to manufacture some runs, scoring a run on two different singles. The team was unable to get plate a tying or winning run and they would fall 3-2 in the contest.
In the loss freshman Anna Koeppl (Perrysburg, Ohio / Perrysburg) still turned in a decent performance allowing just five hits while striking out five batters.
In the second game of the day, the Thunder gave up two runs in the top of the second to fall behind once again. They were able to cut that lead in half when junior Kennedy Baugh (Walton, Ky. / Notre Dame Academy) grounded out to shortstop but brought in the runner at third.
The team's offensive really got going in the bottom of the third when Trine brought four runs in to home to take a 5-2 lead. Four different Thunder tallied RBIs in the inning including senior Michaela Hartline (Niles, Mich. / Brandywine), junior Mercede Daugherty (Watervilet, Mich. / Watervilet) and freshmen Ellie Trine (Kokomo, Ind. / Kokomo) and Amanda Prather (Indianapolis, Ind. / Roncalli).
The Raiders would pull back within one with two runs over the final four innings, but the Thunder defense held and came away with the 5-4 win.
Senior Hannah Kampmann (St. Paul, Minn. / Cretin Derham Hall) picked up the win with three strikeouts in the circle.
The Thunder improve to 6-2 following the day. They will finish off their spring break trip with two games tomorrow, Friday, March 6. Their first game of the day comes against Mount Union at noon.