ALMA, Mich.-- Trine was swept by Alma in an MIAA-doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Klenk Park.
A three-run sixth brought the Scots back for a 7-6 victory in game one, which Alma followed up with a 9-4 victory in the second end of the doubleheader. The two teams split the four-game MIAA series. Dayne San Miguel led the Scots with a four-hit, six-RBI day. Jordan Baer (Fort Wayne, Ind./Leo) drove in three runs in a three-hit day for the Thunder. Kyle Auernhamer (Vassar, Mich./Vassar) and RJ Flowers (Hamilton, Mich./Hamilton) each added four hits and two RBIs. Trine is now 9-15 overall, 5-7 in conference play. Alma 14-10 overall, with an identical 5-7 record in league action.
Game One: Alma 7, Trine 6
The Scots used a three-run sixth to prevail in a see-saw game one.
The Thunder fought back from a 4-1 deficit after two innings to take a 5-4 lead after the top of the sixth. Back-to-back two-out RBI-singles by Flowers and Auernhamer cut the deficit to 4-3 in the in the third.
Ethan Prebynski (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) singled with one out to jump start the go-ahead rally in the sixth. Baer followed with an RBI-double to score Prebynski and advanced to third on the throw. Drew Palmer (Hartford, Wisc./Hartford Union) followed with an RBI-single through the middle to give the Thunder the lead.
An error and a walk put the Scots in business in the bottom of the sixth. Yoan De La Rosa the big hit, singling to right center to score both runners and give Alma the 6-5 lead. Alex Peczynski added what would prove to be an important insurance run with an RBI-single.
Flowers led off the seventh with a double, which Auernhamer followed with an RBI-double to cut the deficit to one. The Thunder were unable to complete the comeback, as Erick Strickler got the final two outs to earn the save.
Game Two: Alma 9, Trine 4
The Scots pounded out 11 hits on their way to completing the sweep.
RBI-doubles by Baer and Jake LaBounty (Avon, Ind./Covenant Christian) gave the Thunder a 2-0 lead after their half of the first. That was answered with a three-spot by the Scots in the bottom half of the inning. Erick Cruz picked up two RBIs on a triple.
Trine took the lead with a single run apiece in each of their next two at-bats. Flowers picked up an RBI-single to tie the score in the second, while another run came in to score on a double play in the third.
An RBI-single by San Miguel, a two-run single by Austin Roeske and an RBI-groundout off the bat of Adam Thoryk gave the Scots a 7-4 lead through three. Cruz and San Miguel later added run-scoring hits for insurance runs.
Austin Valasek picked up the victory with six innings of relief work. He scattered eight hits, walked two and struck out six while allowing two earned runs.
Trine will host Illinois Tech for a single, nine-inning game this Tuesday, Apr. 7. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Jannen Field.