SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - In their first games since returning from spring break, the Trine University baseball team split their doubleheader with Wittenberg University, falling in game one before rallying for the victory in game two. The split moves the Thunder to 5-5 on the year.
In the opening game, the Thunder struck first in the game, plating a run in the top of the fourth as freshman Braxton Siddons (Churubusco, Ind./Churubusco) led off the inning with a double to right field. After a sacrifice bunt by senior Craig Rinkes (Medina, Ohio/Medina) moved Siddons to third, junior Steve Cornett (Bremen, Ind./Bremen) would score the runner on a sacrifice fly to the right fielder.
The Tigers would tie the game up in the fifth after two, one out doubles to right center scored a run.
It didn't look good for the Thunder as Wittenberg deep twice in the bottom of the sixth, the first came with one out and the second came with two outs as they led it 3-1 going into the final inning.
Trine refused to give in as senior Brian Hoeper (Angola, Ind./Angola) led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Junior Matt Zurbriggen (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) followed with a double to right center to pull the Thunder within one.
After a balk call moved Zurbriggen to third, senior Brandon Nothnagel (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) would score him on a sacrifice fly to right field.
In the bottom of the inning, a collision in the outfield on a fly ball gave the Tigers a runner on third and put Trine in a tough situation.
After issuing two intentional walks to load the bases, the Thunder got the first out of the inning on a groundout to the third baseman. Hoeper then snagged a line drive to make it two outs with the bases still loaded, but the Thunder were unable to escape unharmed as the Tigers delivered the game-ending hit on a bloop single to shallow right field.
Senior Mike Sentman (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) went five and two thirds innings getting the no decision. Sentman gave up three earned runs on eight hits while striking out two and not allowing a walk. Junior
Phil Stakely (Ostrander, Ohio/Buckeye Valley) came on in relief pitching two thirds of an inning. Jeremy Spalding was tagged with the loss allowing one hit in a third of an inning of work.
Six different Trine players had a hit in the first game as Nothnagel, Zurbriggen and Cornett each tallied an RBI.
In game two, the Thunder fell behind early as the Tigers put a run up on the board in the bottom of the first.
With one out in the second, junior Zach Ebersole (Eldorado, Ohio/National Trail) doubled to center. After a Hoeper infield single, Sophomore Ben Witter (Naples, Fla./Golden Gate) singled through the right side to score Ebersole from third.
The Thunder broke the game open in the sixth as they plated two runs thanks to two hits and two Tigers errors.
After Siddons reached on an error and stole second, Rinkes moved pinch runner freshman Jeff Phillips (Prospect, Ohio/Marion Pleasant) to third. From there, Ebersole would score him on a single to right center.
Hoeper would single through the right side to put runners on the corners. Hoeper would steal second and after a throwing error by the Wittenberg pitcher, Ebersole would score to give Trine a 3-1 advantage.
In the bottom of the sixth, senior Phil Cappelletty (Tipton, Mich./Adrian) would come on to record all three outs to help the Thunder out of a jam after the leadoff batter singled.
Trine would tack on a run in the top of the seventh as Cappelletty got the Tigers out in order in the bottom of the seventh to seal the game.
Junior Kale Popp (Rennsselaer, Ind./Kankakee Valley) earned the win on the mound for the Thunder pitching five innings allowing one earned run on three hits. Popp ended the day with two strikeouts while walking one. Cappelletty earned his first save of the season pitching two perfect innings in relief.
Ebersole led the Thunder at the plate going a perfect 3-for-3, including a double, with two runs scored and an RBI. Hoeper was also perfect at the dish for the game going 2-for-2.
Trine will open their home and conference schedule on March 23 as they host Calvin for a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m.