ALMA, Mich. - After struggling in the opener falling 9-2, the Trine University baseball team made a late-inning comeback in the night cap to defeat Alma College 8-5 in eight innings. The split pushes the Thunder to 11-10 on the season and 7-5 in the MIAA. Trine currently sits in a tie for fourth with Albion, but are just two games out of first.
In the opener, the Thunder fell behind early as Alma's pitcher Jose Velez hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first to give the Scots a lead they would never relinquish.
Trine would pull within one in the top of the second thanks to a leadoff walk by senior Matt Zurbriggen (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point). After a sacrifice bunt, Zurbriggen would score on an RBI single by sophomore Jordan Baer (Fort Wayne, Ind./Leo).
Alma put the game away in the bottom half of the inning as again it would Velez going yard, this time a grand slam. The Scots had already plated a run earlier in the inning as they led it 7-1.
In the third, Trine would get their final run of the game started by a one-out walk by sophomore Ethan Prebynski (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb). After an Alma error, Prebynski would score on a balk by Velez.
In the fourth Alma plated two more runs in part due to two Trine errors in the inning.
On the mound, senior Kale Popp (Rensselaer, Ind./Kankakee Valley) took the loss lasting four innings while allowing all nine runs, three earned, on nine hits while striking out four. Junior Jeremy Spalding (Toledo, Ohio/Toledo Central Catholic) came on for the final two innings and allowed just one hit while striking out a batter.
It didn't start well for the Thunder in game two as they would again fall behind early as the Scots scored first in the bottom of the first.
The Thunder would jump out into the lead in the third as they plated a pair of runs with two outs. Prebynski started it with a single and senior Tom Wilder (Petersburg, Mich./Summerfield) followed with a double to score him.
Alma would come right back in the bottom half of the inning as they plated two runs of their own to retake the lead.
The two sides would again swap runs in the fourth off of leadoff hits, for Trine it was a single while Alma reached on a double.
After getting runners on in the fifth and sixth innings, the Thunder were down to their final three outs, but they pulled through. Prebynski led off the inning by reaching on an Alma error. After a sacrifice bunt and another Alma error, Prebynski would score on a fielder's choice to tie the game.
Alma would go down in order in the bottom of the seventh as the game went to extra innings for the first time this season for the Thunder.
Trine would explode for four runs in the eighth inning, all started by a leadoff single by sophomore R.J. Flowers (Hamilton, Mich./Hamilton). After a sacrifice bunt, freshman Jake Kendall (New Castle, Ind./New Castle) reached on an infield single. Freshman Carter Stafford (Fort Wayne, Ind./Elmhurst) would then walk to load the bases and it would be Prebynski delivering for the Thunder with an infield single to plate a run. Wilder then drew a bases loaded walk to score another. Junior Adam Sullivan (Fort Wayne, Ind./Elmhurst) would then plate Trine's final two runs on a single to left.
Alma made things interesting in the bottom of the inning as they led off the inning with a double. The Scots would get a pair of two-out singles to score a run before senior Nick Cocanower (Elkhart, Ind./Concord) retired the final batter of the game to end the rally.
Senior Jake Rightnowar (Oregon, Ohio/Toledo Christian) started for the Thunder lasting 4 2/3 innings allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits and striking out a batter. Senior Kyle Lidster (Griffith, Ind./Griffith) came on for 1 1/3 innings of relief and did not allow a batter to reach base. Cocanower pitched the final two innings of the game to earn his first win of the season, surrendering a run on three hits and striking out two. The run in the eighth was the first earned run Cocanower has allowed this season in 15 1/3 innings of work.
On the day, Prebynski led the Thunder going 5 for 7 with four runs and two RBIs. Prebynski also stole two bases. Wilder and Baer along with junior Andrew DeGood (Hamilton, Mich./Hamilton) collected a pair of hits and RBIs on the afternoon. Sullivan also knocked in a pair of RBIs.
Trine will take the field next when they travel to Hope on April 11 for a 2:00 p.m. conference doubleheader.