Baseball
Ryan Smith (Danville, Ind./Danville); Brad Laucher (Marion, Ohio/Ridgedale) made their mark on conference records in 2010.
Smith entered in sixth offensive categories. He drove in 33 RBIs, which is tied for the best ever in the league. He belted six home runs (3rd tie), Smith had a .545 on base percentage (2nd), a .765 slugging percentage (3rd), 11 doubles (4th tie) and 65 total bases (third)
Laucher’s six home runs in 2010, also tied him for third in the MIAA.
As a team, the Thunder batted .354 (3rd) smacked 287 hits (3rd)
ROYAL OAK, Mich. - Three Trine baseball players earned all-MIAA distinction the conference announced today.
Brad Laucher (Marion, Ohio/Ridgedale), a senior second-baseman, and Ryan Smith (Danville, Ind./Danville), a sophomore third baseman, were named to the All-MIAA First team.
Smith led the squad with a .413 batting average. In 104 at-bats, he collected 34 hits, belted 6 home runs and drove in 40 RBIs. Smith started all 38 games for the Thunder.
Laucher finished with a .411 batting average. He hit 8 home runs, tallied 38 RBIs and 32 hits.
Lauren Parr (Kendallville, Ind./Prairie Heights) a senior pitcher was a second-team All-MIAA pick. Parr finished the season 4-22 in 46 1/3 innings struck out 41 batters. Parr was 4-0 with a 4.62 ERA in conference play.
The Thunder finished 2010 at 21 wins, 17 losses. Their 19-9 MIAA record was good for third place in the conference - Trine’s best finish since joining the conference in 2003.
Trine Seniors made sure that Senior Day was about seniors as they swept MIAA rival Olivet 8-3 and 9-6 Sunday at Jannen Field.
Brad Laucher (Marion, Ohio/Ridgedale) drove in six runs in the doubleheader. Adam Bowden (Angola, Ind./Angola) had three RBIs.
Lauren Parr (Kendallville, Ind./Prairie Heights) improved to 4-2 with a game one win. Adam Shlitz (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles) evened his record at 3-3 in the second game.
In the first game, Laucher was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and one run scored. Adam Bowden was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Parr allowed five hits and three runs. He also struck out seven batters.
Olivet jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but Trine stormed back with four runs in the second inning, including a two-run double by Bowden. The Thunder added four more in the fourth including a solo home run by Michael Sentman (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) and a three-run double by Laucher.
In the second game, Trine scored the game’s first seven runs and held on to post a 9-6 win. Ryan Smith was 4-for-4 with an RBI. Brian Hoeper (Angola, Ind./Angola) finished 2-for-2 with three RBI. Laucher was 1-for-1 with three RBIs and three intentional walks. Craig Rinkes was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Shilitz allowed nine hits and five runs - four earned.
KENTWOOD, Mich. -
Elliot Gaff (Churubusco, Ind./Churubusco) allowed just two runs - one earned - and gave up five hits as Trine captured a 5-2 win over Calvin in game one Thursday. Gaff improved to 3-2 on the season. Michael Sentman (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) picked up his fifth save of the season, working just one-third of an inning.
Justin Kurtz (Edgerton, Ohio/Edgerton) was 1-for-4 with a run scored and a run driven in. Josh Rivera (Somonauk, Ill./Somonauk) was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
In the late game, the Knights won 6-3. Brad Laucher (Marion, Ohio/Ridgedale) was 1-for-2 for Trine with two RBIs. Adam Shiltz (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) dropped to 3-4, working six innings and allowing six runs and eight hits.
The Thunder are now 17-16, 14-8 in the MIAA. They are locked in a three-way tie for second place in the MIAA with Hope and Albion.
Trine and Calvin will meet up again on Saturday at Jannen Field. The doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m.
DAYTON, Ohio - Trine had a rare opportunity to play against a Division I opponent Tuesday and left with an understanding of the differences between the top level of the collegiate game and Division III.
The Thunder dropped a 17-2 decision to Horizon League leader Wright State. The Raiders scored in every inning. The loss snaps a five game winning streak for the Trine.
Todd Knisely (Buchanan, Mich./Buchanan) got his first start as a collegiate player, working one and two-thirds innings allowing six hits and runs.
Craig Rinkes (Medina, Ohio/Medina), Kyle Kleiman (Portage, Mich./Portage Central), Matt Zurbriggen (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) and Nick Cocanower (Elkhart, Ind./Concord) accounted for Trine’s four hits. Cocanower and Tom Wilder (Petersburg, Mich./Summerdale) both drove in a run.
Brian Hoeper (Angola, Ind./Angola) and Logan Kumming (New Palestine, Ind./New Palestine) both scored.The Thunder are 16-15. Wright State is 20-16. The Thunder return to MIAA play Thursday at Calvin.
If Trine was hot before, they are scorching now. Monday the Thunder beat Alma 14-5, 10-8 to win their their fifth straight game. The Thunder have won 10-of-12 games to improve to 16-14, and 13-7 in the conference.
ROYAL OAK, Mich. - The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has named Albion catcher Cameron Mueller its Position Player of the Week and Trine righthander Elliot Gaff its Pitcher of the Week in baseball for games played through April 25.
Gaff, a junior from Churubusco, Ind. (Churubusco HS), scattered eight hits in going the distance in leading Trine to a 15-2 victory over Alma. Gaff, who is being honored as Pitcher of the Week for the first time in his career, did not walk a batter against the Scots and struck out seven.
DAYTON, Ohio - The Thunder get rare chance to square off with a Division I foe. Wright State and Trine will host a nine-inning game Tuesday at
Nischwitz Stadium on the WSU campus. The Raiders are 19-16 and lead the Horizon League with a 9-4 conference record.
ALMA, Mich. - Thunder bats struck for 29 hits and 31 runs Friday in a doubleheader sweep of Alma. When the day was done, Trine downed Alma 15-2 in the first game, and 16-3 in the nightcap.
Trine improved to 14-14 overall, 11-7 in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, and is now locked in a tie with Albion for third place in the conference. Alma is now 9-19, 6-12 in conference play.
In game one, Trine blasted Alma 15-2, as every Thunder starter recorded a hit or scored in the 17-hit assault.
The Thunder plated two runs in the first and second innings to build a 4-0 lead. The Thunder lead grew to 6-1, with two more runs in the fourth. The margin exploded to 14-1 with eight runs in the fifth inning.
Brad Laucher (Marion, Ohio/Ridgedale) went three-for-five with a run scored and four RBI.
Craig Rinkes (Medina, Ohio/Medina) was three-for-four with two runs and three RBI. Ryan Smith went two-for-four with three runs scored and two RBI. Adam Bowden (Angola, Ind./Angola) went two-for-three with three runs scored and two RBI. Todd Shadley (Kalamazoo, Mich./Parchment) was three-for-three with three runs scored and an RBI.
Elliot Gaff (Churubusco, Ind./Churubusco) pitched a complete game win. In seven innings, he gave up eight hits, two runs and struck out seven. He improves to 2-2.
In the second game, the Thunder smacked 14 hits in a 16-3 rout of the Scots.
The Thunder scored three in the first inning to post a 4-0 lead. Michael Sentman (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) highlighted a four-run fourth inning, by belted a three-run homer. Trine added three in the fourth and five in the fifth to make the score 15-1. Trine capped the scoring with a run in the seventh inning.
Sentman was three-for-three with six RBI. Shadley was two-for-two with two runs scored and four RBI.
Justin Kurtz (Edgerton, Ohio/Edgerton) went three-for-five with two runs scored. Laucher was one-for-one with four walks, four runs scored and an RBI. Adam Shiltz (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) worked six innings, allowing seven hits and three runs - all earned - to even his record at 3-3.
Alma and Trine meet up again Sunday at 1 p.m.
Justin Kurtz (Edgerton, Ohio/Edgerton) and Brad Laucher (Marion, Ohio/Ridgedale) spent the early part of Saturday away from the ballpark completing a civil engineering field test.
They faced a different test when they returned for Saturday’s second game with Hope. The results of the certification test weren’t immediately available, but the seniors passed the test on the field leading Trine to a 13-12 win over the Flying Dutch in eight innings.
Hope pounded Trine 25-5 in the first game of the doubleheader.
The second game was a wild one with Trine and Hope trading the lead sixth times. The Thunder scored three runs in the second and added another in the third to boast an early 4-0 lead.
Hope rallied with five runs in the fourth inning to post a 5-4 advantage. Trine tied the game in the fourth inning scoring a run. Hope answered with four runs in the fifth inning to make it a 9-5. Trine rallied for six runs in fifth to go up 11-9.
In the seventh, Hope scored three runs and lead 12-11. The Thunder sent it to extra innings when Brad Laucher launched a colossal homer in the bottom of the seventh. The towering shot cleared the right field wall and landed thirty-feet beyond on the softball diamond adjacent to Jannen Field.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Smith opened with a double. One out later, pinch-hitter Kyle Kleiman (Portage, Mich./Portage Central) drilled a walk-off hit to score Smith.
Kurtz finished three-for-four with two runs scored and three RBI, including a third-inning home run. Laucher was two-for-three with three RBI and two runs scored.
The Thunder had plenty of offensive support in the win. Todd Shadley (Kalamazoo, Mich./Parchment) went three-for-three with three runs scored and an RBI. Josh Rivera (Somonauk, Ill./Somonauk) finished three for four with three RBI and one run scored. Ryan Smith (Danville, Ind./Danville) went two-for-four with two doubles with two runs scored and an RBI.
Michael Sentman (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) pitched one inning and struck-out two batters and allowed no runs. Sentman got the win, his first of the season.
In the first game, Hope pounded Trine 25-5. The Flying Dutchman took the lead with five runs in the first inning and added three in third, four in the fifth, six in the sixth and seven in the seventh inning. In the process, Hope belted 25 hits including two home runs and three doubles.
Phil Stakely (Ostrander, Ohio/Buckeye Valley), now 1-3 on the season, worked three innings allowing seven hits and eight runs - seven earned.
Smith was one-for-three with an RBI and two runs scored, including a home run. Brian Hoeper (Angola, Ind./Angola) scored two runs. Joe Minnich (New Haven, Ind./New Haven) was one-for two with an RBI and a run scored. Sentman went one-for-one with an RBI.
After Saturday’s games, Trine improves to 12-14, 9-7 in the MIAA. Hope is 20-8, 12-4 in the conference.
HOLLAND, Mich. - Trine moved into third place in the MIAA after splitting a double-header with Hope Thursday. The Thunder snagged a 7-4 win in the opening game, and dropped a 5-4 decision to the Flying Dutchmen in the second contest.
Trine is now 8-6 in conference play. The Flying Dutchmen dropped from the top of the conference to second place behind Adrian at 12-2 with the split.
Kale Popp (Demotte, Ind./Kankakee Valley) picked up another win in relief, moving his season total to 4-0. Michael Sentman (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) earned his third save.
Craig Rinkes (Medina, Ohio/Medina) finished two-for-four with two RBI. Josh Rivera (Somonauk, Ill./Somonauk) drove in two runs with an RBI double. Brad Laucher (Marion, Ohio/Ridgedale) was two-for-four with a run scored. Brian Hoeper (Angola, Ind./Angola) added two runs scored.
In the second game, Justin Kurtz (Edgerton, Ohio/Edgerton) went two-for-four with a run scored and four RBI, including a home run. The loss snaps a five game winning streak for Trine.
The Thunder scored a run inthe third to take the lead and then added two in the fifth and one in the seventh to build a 4-1 lead before Hope mounted a last gasp comeback. The Dutchmen, with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, scored four runs to post the victory.
Adam Shiltz (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) took the loss; he drops to 2-3 on the season. In six and two-thirds innings, the senior gave up four hits, five runs and struck out three.
Hope and Trine hook up again Saturday at Jannen Field. Click here to catch all the play-by-play action.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Trine continued its dominance over Kalamazoo taking two games from the host Hornets by scores of 10-3 and 10-8.
The Thunder (10-12, 7-5 MIAA) finished the weekend 4-0. Trine has now defeated the Hornets in each of the last 12 games.
In game one, Todd Shadley went three-for-four, including a grand-slam to post four RBI. Craig Rinkes was three-for-five with two RBI and one run scored. Brad Laucher (Marion, Ohio/Ridgedale) finished two-for-four with two runs scored and an RBI. Brian Hoeper (Angola, Ind./Angola) scored three runs and finished two-for-five with two doubles.
Phil Stakely improved to 1-2 with the opening game victory. He completed 4 1/3 innings, allowed seven hits three runs and struck out seven. Elliot Gaff (Churubusco, Ind./Churubusco) worked 2 2/3 innings giving up just one hit and striking out four Hornet batters.
In game two, Trine scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning to secure the comeback win. The Thunder bats accounted for 14 hits in the second game.
Hoeper went two-for-four with two RBI. Michael Sentman (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) drove in 2 RBI. Laucher was two-for-four with two runs scored.
Kale Popp improved to 3-0 grabbing the win. Popp worked 2/3 of an inning, allowing three hits and two runs, just one earned. Sentman earned a save, his second of the season, retiring the three batters he faced in the seventh.
The Thunder is back in action Thursday at Hope.
Trine split a doubleheader with Adrian Thursday, taking the first game 3-2 in nine innings and lost 5-0 in the nightcap.
In game one, Trine withstood everything Adrian could throw at it to post the victory at Jannen Field.
Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Ryan Smith (Danville, Ind./Danville) drilled a two-out, single driving in two runs to tie the game. Smith answered the call again in the bottom of the ninth by delivering a walk-off RBI single to give the persistent Thunder the win. Smith finished the game going two-for-four with three RBI.
Historically, this is just the third win ever for Trine in the all-time series with the Bulldogs. It didn't come without effort. Twice in extra innings, Adrian had runners in scoring position. Twice the Thunder ended any threat with great defensive play and disciplined thinking.
Perhaps the best example came in the seventh inning. With a runner at first and third, the Bulldogs tried to lure the Thunder into a pickoff play. If successful, the play would have scored the runner at third. Trine did not bite and simply chased the running back to first.
In the eighth inning, the Thunder turned a double-play to end any threat. The visitors would not threaten again.
Lauren Parr worked seven innings, allowed two runs and six hits but did not get the decision. Kale Popp (DeMotte, Ind./Kankakee Valley) pitched two innings allowing no runs and two hits. The freshman, Popp improves to 2-0 on the season.
In the second game, Adrian handed the Thunder a 5-0 loss. The Bulldogs plated a run in the first, two in the third inning and two in the sixth inning to avoid the doubleheader sweep. Joe Minnich (New Haven, Ind./New Haven) went two-for three.
Adam Schiltz (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) worked five and two-third innings allowing five runs, four earned and eight hits. Schlitz is now 1-2 on the season. Phil Stakely (Ostrander, Ohio/Buckeye Valley) worked one and one-third inning of no-hit baseball. The teams meet up again Saturday at Adrian in a 1 p.m. start.
Friday when Trine split a doubleheader with Albion it was a decidedly offensive affair, smacking 17 hits and scoring 17 runs. Saturday the Thunder got a peak at how good their pitching could be. The Thunder won game one 2-1 and lost game two 4-2
Junior Elliot Gaff (Churubusco, Ind./Churubusco) struck out seven batters while tossing a one-hitter against the Britons. Gaff allowed just one unearned run. Gaff is now 1-2. Todd Shadley (Kalamazoo, Mich./Parchment) belted a two run double the bottom of the seventh inning to post the win.
In the late game, Ryan Smith (Danville, Ind./Danville) pitched five and one-third innings giving up nine hits and four runs to be tagged with the loss. Smith was effective through five innings before allowing two runs and two hits in the sixth inning. Smith drops to 2-1.
The Britons scored one in the first and one in the fourth. Trine tied the score with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. With the bases loaded, Joe Minnich (New Haven, Ind./New Haven) drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. One batter later, Brad Laucher (Marion, Ohio/Ridgedale) doubled to score a run.
ALBION, Mich. - For the third time in 11 games, Trine scored ten runs to defeat an opponent, this time a 10-5 game one victory over Albion. In the nightcap, the Britons plated a run on a sacrifice fly to seize victory in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Brad Laucher (Marion, Ohio/Ridgedale) belted a home run and a double to drive in three RBI to pace the Thunder offense in the first game win. Ryan Smith (Danville, Ind./Danville) was two-for-three with two RBI. Kale Popp (DeMotte, Ind/Kankakee Valley) pitched three and a third innings in relief, allowing just one run to get the win.
In the second game, Josh Rivera (Somonauk, Ill./Somonauk) drove in two RBI with a pair of sacrifice flies. Joe Minnich (New Haven, Ind./New Haven) went one-for-three with an RBI and two runs scored. Brian Hoeper (Angola, Ind./Angola) was two-for-two with two runs. Smith also scored two runs in the second game.
Friday's games were the first of the MIAA season for both squads.
The Thunder and Britons will meet up again for a two-game set Saturday at 1 p.m. at Jannen Field. Pre-game coverage begins at 12:45 p.m. Click here to listen.
MANCHESTER - Brad Laucher (Marion, Ohio/Ridgedale) went four-for-five with
five RBI
to lead Trine (3-7), but host Manchester was too much in a 16-7 win Sunday.
Elliot Gaff (Churubusco, Ind./Churubusco) worked four innings allowing nine runs - seven
earned - to drop to 0-2 on the season. Kale Popp (DeMotte, Ind./Kankakee Valley)
pitched
2 1/3 innings of no-hit ball walking just one batter. Trine opens up MIAA Friday at Albion.
A second game has been added to Friday's game with Aquinas College, the team announced today. The first game gets underway around 2 p.m. The second game will begin about 30 minutes following the completion of the first game.
It's the home opener for the Thunder who finished 2-3 during their rain-shortened spring break in Florida last week. Originally Friday's action was scheduled to include a junior varsity game.
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - For the second day in a row, rain cancelled Thunder baseball games. This time a two-game set with Emerson. The doubleheader will not be rescheduled.
AUBURN, Fla. - Rain in central Florida washed away Thursday's game with Pitts-Greensburg. The game will not be replayed.
AUBURNDALE, Fla. - Trine improved to 2-3 on the season with a double header split Tuesday in college baseball.
In the opening game Baldwin-Wallace posted a 9-2 win over Trine. Michael Sentman (Batavia, Ill/Batavia) went two-for-three with an RBI, while Justin Kurtz (Edgerton, Ohio/Edgerton) was two-for-four with a pair of hits and an RBI. Trine finished with eight hits and seven runners left on base.
Phillip Cappelletty (Adrian, Mich./Adrian) was tagged with the loss. He worked three inning, allowed nine hits and seven earned runs. Keegan Worley (Fort Wayne, Ind./Northrop) pitched three innings of relief, giving up three hits and two earned runs.
Thunder bats came alive in the second game, pounding out 10 runs and 11 hits in a 10-4 win. Sentman went three-for-four with three runs scored and an RBI. Todd Shadley (Kalamazoo, Mich./Parchment) finished three-for-three with two RBI. Brian Hoeper (Angola, Ind./Angola) drove in four runs.
Ryan Smith (Danville, Ill./Danville) picked up his first win of the season, working six innings allowing four runs and four hits. Anthony Hammond (Decatur, Ind./Adams Central) worked one inning, retiring all three batters he faced.
The Thunder return to action Thursday against the University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg in a 3:30 p.m. contest.
The countdown to spring officially kicked of this week as the 2010 edition of Trine baseball opened practice.
The Thunder will open the season Saturday, March 7 in Auburndale, Fla., against Wittenberg. The Thunder will play eight games in five days before hosting Aquinas in the home opener Friday, March 19 at Jannen Field. Trine opens Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association play Friday, March 26 at Albion. Click here for 2010 schedule.
The Thunder coaching staff has also announced senior third baseball Brad Laucher (Marion, Ohio/Ridgedale), senior outfielder Justin Kurtz (Edgerton, Ohio/Edgerton) and senior pitcher Adam Shiltz (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) as the the captains for 2010.
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