ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University Baseball team fell in this afternoon's series opener to the Calvin Knights, 7-3. Cole Temple had two hits for the Thunder in the loss and the Trine defense turned two double plays. Trine is now 9-16 (3-5 MIAA) and Calvin is 14-11 (7-2 MIAA).
 
Calvin opened the game by scoring in the first three innings to build a 4-0 lead. With a runner on first and threatening to add more, Calvin grounded into a 5-4-3 double play Cole Schmidthuber tossed to William Taczak who fired to Joel Walton and beat the runner to retire the side. Schmidthuber broke up the no-hit bid in the third with a single to left field.
 
Calvin returned the favor and quickly cut down the Thunder's threat with a double play of their own in the next at bat to retire the side. Calvin threatened to add more in the fifth with the bases loaded and one out. Owen Mitchell got himself out of the jam when he started Trine's second double play of the day, this one went 1-2-3, Mitchell pitched to Nathan Gilmet who made the throw to Walton in time to end the inning.
 
Calvin added another in the sixth to lead 5-0, Trine answered in the seventh, Cole Temple singled and advanced to third via a single from Taczak and a sac bunt from Dane DuBois. He and Taczak each scored on consecutive wild pitches to cut the deficit to 5-2. A Knight two run homer in the eighth stretched the lead to five once again. Evan Shoppell struck out three in 1.1 innings of work to prevent more damage for Trine. Temple again found himself on third after a single, he scored again on a wild pitch to get Trine within 7-3. The Thunder would get no close as the Knights' pitcher struck out the final batter to seal Trine's fate.
 
The two teams will meet tomorrow in Grand Rapids, Mich. to close out the series. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.