KISSIMMEE, FLA.  --  Senior Jacob Heller (Fort Wayne, Ind./Prairie Heights) had five RBI in an 8-5 win against Bridewater (Va.) College in a single, nine-inning game in Kissimmee, Fla.

Heller also had a game-tying high three hits (three-of-five overall) to go along with his five RBI.  Senior Stevie Sieczkowski (Norwich, Conn./Norwich Technical) also recorded multiple hits and went two-of-four with a run scored.

Five other players each had a base hit in the game, including senior Zach Schulte (Sterling Heights, Mich./Warren Cousino) who also scored a pair of runs and two RBI.  Sophomore Joe Fiorucci (St. Joseph, Mich./St. Joseph) scored two runs and had a RBI to go along with his base hit in three at-bats.

Bridgewater (2-6) scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning to grab the early lead, but Trine (2-1) then scored five unanswered runs beginning with a score in the bottom of the third on a RBI-single by Heller with Sieczkowski on second base as a result of a double earlier in the inning.

The Thunder took the lead in the fourth with four runs that came on a two-RBI single by Schulte and then a two-run double by Heller later in the frame that made the score 5-1.  The Eagles plated two runs in the top of the fifth inning to narrow the gap to a pair of runs, 5-3.

But Trine answered with two runs of its own in the sixth when Heller knocked in his fourth and fifth RBI of the game on a two-run single with two outs and runners on second and third to increase the lead back to four runs, 7-3.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Trine tacked on another run on a bases loaded walk with Fiorucci at the plate to make it an 8-4 ball game.

Bridgewater looked to mount a late rally with two runs in the ninth with only one out.  Trine then made the final outs of the game on a strikeout and an infield pop-up to seal the three-run victory, 8-5.

Sophomore pitcher Drew Bradford (Huntington, Ind./Whitko) made the start on the mound for Trine and got the win after pitching six innings and allowed three runs on seven hits to go along with three strikeouts.  Junior Tony Bottone (Fort Wayne, Ind./Bishop Luers) pitched the final three innings and was credited with a save after giving up two runs on three hits, but struck out five batters.

Trine will take on DeSales (Pa.) University in a nine-inning game tomorrow (Tuesday, Mar. 5) in Winter Haven, Fla.  The first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.