Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 ANGOLA, Ind. - It was the
perfect end to the final day of classes for the fourth ranked Trine
University softball team as they swept Saint Mary's College
4-0 and 22-2 en route to winning their second straight, and fifth
of the last seven MIAA Conference Championships. It also means that
the Thunder will host the MIAA Conference Tournament May 2-3.
Trine, now 31-3 on the year and 14-0 in the
conference, dominated game one behind senior pitcher Andi Gasco
(Levering, Mich./Petoskey) as she threw her second no-hitter of the
season and third of her career. The lone base runners Gasco allowed
came in the top of the first on a walk and a hit batter. From
there, she retired 18 straight batters, throwing jus the second
no-hitter for Trine in MIAA play.
Trine would get a pair of runs in the third on a
two-out single by senior Lauren Harris (Uniontown, Ohio/Hoover)
that plated a pair of runs after the inning had been extended by a
Belles error.
In the fourth, Trine added a pair of runs after a
leadoff triple by senior Sarah Belote (Bronson, Mich./Bronson). She
would then score on a groundout by sophomore Rachel Harris
(Uniontown, Ohio/Hoover). Fellow sophomore Carly Searles (Levering,
Mich./Petoskey) would single with two outs and then steal second,
her 31st of the season setting a new Trine record. Searles would
score on a single by freshman Kaitlyn Clark (Mount Juliet,
Tenn./Wilson Central).
Gasco notched her 16th win of the season as she
struck out six over the seven innings of no-hit ball.
The nightcap started very differently for the
Thunder as they jumped out to a 1-0 lead as Searles tripled and
then scored on a bad relay throw. Trine would add two more runs in
the inning on a pair of hits by Lauren Harris and sophomore Leah
Hall (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central).
In the second, the Thunder got a pair of leadoff
doubles by junior Haleigh Daniels (Hamilton, Ohio/Hamilton) and
Searles. Another pair of singles by Clark and sophomore Amy Newell
(Three Rivers, Mich./Three Rivers) plated two more runs for
Trine.
Trine loaded the bases in the third, but Saint
Mary's escaped damage. The Belles wouldn't be so lucky
in the fourth inning.
After a leadoff double by Hall, two outs later
Daniels singled. Trine would then get a single by Searles, and
doubles by Clark and Newell. Gasco would be hit by a pitch and
Lauren Harris then delivered a single to plate two more runs.
In the bottom of the inning, the Belles would
score their only runs on a one-out, two-run home run by Jillian
Busfield.
Trine wasn't done yet though as they
exploded for 10 runs in the top of the fifth including six straight
hits at one point. Belote had a pair of singles in the inning while
Rachel Harris had an RBI triple and a two-run homer to left center.
Newell would also have a two-run shot to left center in the
fifth.
In game two alone, the Thunder collected 28 hits
including 12 for extra bases. Every starter had a hit and a run in
the game, while eight starters had at least two hits and one
RBI.
Sophomore Bree fuller (Hubbardston, Mich./Fulton)
earned her 12th victory of the year allowing two earned runs on
four hits while striking out nine in just five innings of work.
For the day, Clark led the Thunder going 6-for-9
at the plate with four RBIs and scoring four times. Lauren Harris
and Searles both went 5-for-8 in the series. Harris led the squad
with 6 RBIs on the day and Searles score four times. Newell had
four's all around with four hits, four runs and four RBIs.
Hall had three hits on the afternoon, all doubles, and drove in
three runs and scored twice. Daniels and Belote also had three hits
on the day. Daniels scored four runs and drove in two while Belote
scored three times. Rachel Harris added a pair of hits and drove in
four runs.
With her hit in game two, Gasco set a new Trine
career record for hits with her 180th. Also in the second game,
Searles set a new conference single-season record with her fifth
triple in MIAA play.
Trine will wrap up their regular season as they
host Albion for a doubleheader on April 28 starting at 11:00
a.m.