GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Trine University softball team picked up a pair of crucial Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) victories, defeating Calvin University twice on the road. The Knights were selected to finish second in the conference by the MIAA coaches int the preseason poll.
Game one of the day was a low scoring affair, with both teams' aces taking the circle. Alexis Michon continued her impressive season by earning the win with seven innings of work. She allowed just one run on four hits. She finished the game in just 77 pitches while recording ten strikeouts.
Offensively the Thunder recorded 11 hits against the Calvin starting pitcher, but only scored a pair of runs to ultimately win 2-1. Macy Rocha brought in the first run of the game with a single during the first inning. Whitney Duell followed up with a second RBI in the second inning.
The 2-0 lead lasted until the sixth inning when the Knights strung together a pair of hits to score their run. Michon forced a final out to end the inning and leave the last batter on base.
Calvin struck first in the second game, recording a pair of hits to plate the run in the third inning. Their lead was short lived with Tyra Marcum bringing in a run for the Thunder in the bottom of the same inning.
Trine broke open the game in the sixth inning. With one out, Emma Beyer reached first on an error and promptly stole second and then third base. Keelin Wheaton followed up with a single down the right field line to bring Beyer home and take the first lead of the game. Duell reached base to put runners on first and second for Karley Trine who cleared the bases with a triple to right center. After a Marcum walk, Debbie Hill came up with a double which also cleared the bases and made the score 6-1 heading into the seventh inning.
The Knights didn't go quietly, scoring three runs in the seventh to cut the lead back to two at 6-4. The game ended there with Rocha tracking down a foul ball for the final out.
Hill pitched the game for the Thunder. She finished allowing the four runs on seven hits while striking out five.
The Thunder improve to 20-4 overall and 4-0 in MIAA play. They will continue their season by returning home to face Adrian College tomorrow, Sunday, April 13. That doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
