ANGOLA, IND. -- The Trine University baseball team lost both games of a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association doubleheader against Calvin (Mich.) University, 9-0 and 2-1, to wrap-up a four-game series at Jannen Field in Angola, Ind.
In game one, the Calvin (17-14, 12-8 MIAA) offense got going right from the start and kept applying pressure as the Knights scored at least a run in all but the final inning. Calvin scored a run in both the first and second innings, that included a lead-off solo homerun in the top of the first.
Calvin went on to add a pair of runs in the third, three more runs in the fourth and then tacked on another run in both the fifth and sixth innings as the Knights tallied 14 hits as a team en route to the 9-0 win.
Trine (6-23, 6-14 MIAA) finished with four hits with junior Brenden Warner (Richland, Mich./Hackett Catholic Prep) going a perfect two-of-two to lead the team in hits. Senior Jake Conley (Moline, Ill./Black Hawk CC) and sophomore Matt Weis (Trenton, Ill./Triad) recorded the other base knocks for the Thunder with both finishing one-of-three.
At pitcher, senior Drew Bradford (Huntington, Ind./Whitko) started the game, but suffered the loss after pitching three and two-thirds innings allowing seven runs, six earned, on 11 hits and had one strikeout.
In the nightcap, the game remained scoreless until the sixth inning as critical defensive plays and solid pitching by both teams kept both squads off the scoreboard. In the bottom of the sixth, Trine's Dalton Nikirk (Bedford, Ind./Bedford North Lawrence) led off the inning with a double down the left field line and then moved up to third on a stolen base to set up the Thunder with a prime scoring opportunity. In the next at-bat, senior A.J. Mitchell (Emmett, Mich./Kellogg CC) drove in Nikirk with a single to break the stalemate and put Trine ahead, 1-0.
Then in the top of the seventh, Calvin led things off with a bunt single, but then followed with back-to-back outs. The Knights kept the inning going with an ensuing single to put two runners on base. In the next plate appearance, Calvin found empty space in the outfield that turned into a double and plated both runs and gave the Knights a 2-1 advantage. In Trine's half of the inning, the Thunder recorded three straight outs to seal the win for Calvin by the one-run margin and complete the doubleheader sweep.
Trine was led at the plate by Mitchell who ended up as the only Thunder player to record multiple hits. Mitchell had two hits in three at-bats to go along with the RBI. Four other players each recorded a hit in the loss.
Freshman Josh Hoogewerf (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) started on the mound and pitched six scoreless innings before the two runs by Calvin in the seventh. Overall, Hoogewerf pitched six and two-thirds innings with the two runs allowed on eight hits and had one strikeout. Senior Drew Cebulak (Oakmont, Pa./Central Catholic) got the final out allowing no hits or runs in a third-of-an-inning.
Trine will conclude the regular season with a four-game series against Hope (Mich.) College that begins on Thursday, May 6 at Jannen Field. The first game of the doubleheader is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.
