ANGOLA, Ind. - The Trine University softball team celebrated senior day by taking on Ohio Northern in a matchup of the two top teams in the latest NCAA Division III Central Region rankings. The Thunder earned a split on the day, falling in game one 5-1, before coming back to win game two by a score of 8-7 in extra innings. With the split, the 16th ranked Thunder move to 30-6 on the season.

Ohio Northern took advantage of Trine defensive errors, getting on the board right out of the gate with two runs in the top of the first. The Thunder were able to escape more damage as they ended the inning with the bases loaded.

The Polar Bears would then tack on three more runs on three hits in the top of the second inning after the third out was recorded on a strikeout, but the batter reached base on a passed ball.

Trine had an opportunity to score in the third, but left the bases loaded.

The normally explosive Thunder bats were held quiet in game one, as Trine would not put a run across the plate until the bottom of the fifth inning.

Senior Kelly Tresick (Clinton Township, Mich./L'Anse Creuse) would start things off with a walk, and would then steal second. Tresick would then be hit over to third on an infield base hit by freshman Carly Searles (Levering, Mich./Petoskey). A ground out to the second baseman by freshman Leah Hall (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) would allow Tresick to score, and that is as close as the Thunder would get.

Trine would load the bases again in the bottom of the seventh with only one out, but would fail to push any more run across.

Searles led the way offensively going 2-4 in the game. Juniors Lauren Harris (Uniontown, Ohio/Hoover) and Lindsey Wise (Oregon, Ohio/Clay) each added a hit.

Junior Andi Gasco (Levering, Mich./Petoskey) took the loss on the mound dropping to 17-3 on the year, going all seven innings, allowing nine hits as all five runs were unearned. Gasco allowed just three hits over the final four innings while racking up 11 strikeouts in the game.

Ohio Northern started game two off in much the same fashion as game one, putting two runs on the board as the Thunder committed three errors in the inning.

The Thunder bats answered back however with four runs of their own in the bottom of the first as they batted around the lineup.

Searles started things off with a one-out double to center. Hall would follow that up with a single to left scoring Searles and moving Hall to second on the throw. Gasco would then just clear the fence as the ball hit off the top of the fence and went over for her 10th homer of the season. The final run of the inning came as freshman Tori Cuebas (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield) would draw a walk, and would be hit in by back-to-back singles by junior Sarah Belote (Bronson, Mich./Bronson), and Harris respectively.

Trine wasn't done yet though, as they put two more runs on the board in the bottom of the second. Searles would reach on a fielder's choice, after Tresick walked to start the inning, and would move to second on an errant throw by the second baseman. Searles would then be brought around to score as Hall had an infield single, and would advance to second as they failed to throw Searles out at the plate. Gasco would double to right field, moving Hall up to third. Cuebas then scored Hall from third on an RBI ground out to shortstop.

Ohio Northern did not roll over, as they came back to score a run in the top of each the fifth and sixth innings. The real damage however came in the top of the seventh, putting up a three spot on a home run to take a one run lead.

The Thunder would stay strong and answer back pushing across the tying run in the bottom of the seventh to push the game to extra innings.

Cuebas started things off with a single to right, and then would be pinch run for by sophomore Jillian Craig (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard). Craig would use her speed to score from first on an RBI double from Belote.

With the game in extra innings, the International Tie Breaker was in place as the Polar Bears began the inning with a runner on second. Luckily for the Thunder, Ohio Northern was forced to the Kimi Belwett, who was slowed by an ankle injury from the first game. Although the Polar Bears got a leadoff double, the runner was unable to score and freshman Bree Fuller (Hubbardston, Mich./Fulton) was able to retire the next three batters.

Trine would win the game in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Wise was placed on second. Tresick would then sacrifice her to third. After Searles reached on an infield single, with two outs, Wise would be hit in on a single to left field from Gasco.

Gasco led the offense going 3-5 with three RBI including a homerun, which tied her with former Lady Thunder Kara Graham from 2009 for most in a single season. Searles, Belote, Harris and Hall would chip in with two hits apiece. Hall and Searles each scores twice while Hall would add in two RBI of her own.

Fuller earned the win in relief for the Thunder moving up to 5-1 on the year, pitching two innings, allowing one earned run on just two hits and getting a strikeout. Searles started the game going six innings, allowing six runs (five earned) while giving up 13 hits, and earning three strikeouts. 

The Thunder will look to clinch the top seed in the MIAA Conference Tournament when they travel to Kalamazoo for a doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m. on April 25.