Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 ANGOLA, Ind. - After
jumping to the No. 2 spot in the most recent NFCA NCAA Division III
poll, the Trine University softball team is now just a win away
from winning the MIAA Tournament as they defeated Hope 2-1 and Alma
3-1 to advance to the championship game.
The top seeded Thunder (35-3 overall) jumped out
to a 1-0 lead on Hope in the opener as sophomore Carly Searles
(Levering, Mich./Petoskey) reached on an error with two outs in the
third. After stealing second, freshman Kaitlyn Clark (Mount Juliet,
Tenn./Wilson Central) would drive in Searles on a single to
left.
Hope would tie the game in the top of the fourth
after a one-out walk was followed by a single and a Trine
error.
It came down to the final at-bat in the bottom of
the seventh for Trine, but it wouldn't take long for the
Thunder to end it. On the first pitch of the inning, senior Lauren
Harris (Uniontown, Ohio/Hoover) launched her eighth homer of the
season on a shot to right center, and sending the Trine dugout
spilling onto the field.
Freshman Bree Fuller (Hubbardston, Mich./Fulton)
allowed just four hits and an unearned run while striking out nine
and walking two over seven innings.
In the winner's bracket game, the Thunder
faced their rival Alma for the right to advance to the championship
game where Trine played as the visitors.
Senior Andi Gasco (Levering, Mich./Petoskey)
allowed the only run of the game in the bottom of the first after a
leadoff walk was followed by a one-out double and then a single.
The Scots would load the bases but Gasco would retire two straight
batters to limit the damage as Gasco allowed just two more hits the
rest of the game.
Trine would get on the board in the top of the
second started by a leadoff walk to Lauren Harris. After a
sacrifice bunt that allowed pinch runner freshman Riley Larkin
(Plainfield, Ind./Avon) to move to second, senior Sarah Belote
(Bronson, Mich./Bronson) doubled to the right center gap, scoring
Larkin easily.
The Thunder wouldn't wait till their last
at bat this time, as Gasco reached on an infield single and
advanced to second on an error to start the sixth inning. Two outs
later it would be Belote delivering again for the Thunder as the
senior launched her 14th home run of the season to right center,
sending the Trine fans into a frenzy.
Gasco would retire Alma in order in both the
sixth and the seventh as she struck out the side to end the
game.
In the circle, Gasco finished the afternoon also
throwing a four-hitter while allowing just the one earned run and
striking out six.
Clark was a perfect 4-for-4 in game two while
Belote went 2-for-3 with all three RBIs. Game one saw Lauren Harris
collect a pair of hits in going 2-for-2 at the plate with a run and
an RBI.
Trine will wait to find out their next opponent
as Alma will face Adrian in the elimination bracket final at noon,
with the winner facing the Thunder in the championship game at 2:00
p.m. Trine can win the MIAA automatic qualifier with a win, but a
loss would force a winner-take-all final at 4:30 p.m.