HOLLAND, Mich. – The Trine University softball team swept their hosts from Hope College in a pair of low scoring contests. Junior Alexis Michon saw action in the circle during both games earning a win and a save for her efforts.
The first game of the day was a pitching duel for the entirety of the regularly scheduled innings. Neither team would score during seven innings of play, with the game heading to extra innings for a decision.
Freshman Debbie Hill pitched the first six of those innings allowing four hits while striking out ten of the Flying Dutch, matching her career best. Michon entered for the bottom of the seventh inning and went on to finish the game with four strikeouts of her own while allowing just a pair of hits in her two innings of work.
Offensively the Thunder finally got going in the top of the eighth inning. Cassie Woods led off the inning with a double to center. Hill followed up with a double of her own, bringing Woods home and giving the team their first run. Freshman Reese Ruvalcaba pinch hit and recorded a double of her own bringing in the runner from second. The final run of the inning came off the bat of freshman Ashleigh Tranter who singled with two outs on the board.
Michon returned to the mound to finish out the final inning and secure the game one victory by the score of 3-0.
While the second game would see three different pitchers in the circle for the Thunder it still ended up a low scoring showcase. Senior Anna Koeppl made the start and recorded three quick outs in the first inning.
In the bottom of that same inning Trine's offense gave the pitchers all the run support they would need. Woods recorded a double with one out in the inning to start the action. Freshman Karley Trine followed up with a groundball to second base that Woods was able to stretch into a scoring opportunity. The run gave the team a 1-0 lead.
Koeppl followed up with two more innings. She ended up pitching three innings while allowing four hits and two walks, but was able to keep the game scoreless. Junior Lauren Clausen entered the game in relief and went for two and a third innings allowing two hits while striking out one. The second of those hits came in the top of the sixth and forced a change with the score still just 1-0. Michon entered for the five-out save attempt. She recorded two strikeouts while allowing no hits to finish off the game.
Trine improves to 28-4 overall and 11-1 in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play. With other results around the league, the Thunder need just two more wins to secure at least a share of the regular season title. They will look for those two wins on Saturday, April 29 when they host Saint Mary's College. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
