ANGOLA, Ind. – The Kalamazoo College baseball team moved ahead of Trine University in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association standings Saturday afternoon as the Hornets took two from the Thunder and closed out their four-game series winning three of the four.
Both teams' bats remained quiet in the early going of game one but after K took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth on a Connor Grant single, the Hornets erupted for six runs in the top of the fifth which ultimately proved to be the difference.
The Hornets recorded seven hits in the fifth, with Jack Clark's double to right field allowing Ian Kobernick and Jordan Wiley to touch home.
Jacob Gilhaus provided a strong outing on the mound for K as he last 5 1/3 innings giving up three runs while striking out five. Garrett Swanson and Steve Simmons closed the door in the final innings.
Offensively, K recorded 11 hits led by two hit games from Brett Garwood, Alex Fultz and Grant.
The Hornet bats remained hot in game two of the doubleheader as K knocked in 18 runs in an 18-3 rout of the Thunder.
Getting out to an early 2-0 lead after two, the Thunder were able to level the score in the third inning but it was a nine-run inning from K in the fourth that busted the game wide open.
The Hornets used five hits, a Thunder error, two walks and a hit by pitch to account for their offensive damage in the fourth. VanKoevering got the run scoring party started with a double to left field driving in Todd Bonnivier before VanKoevering drove in Bonnivier again on a single up the middle later in the inning.
Nic Janssen put in five innings of work on the bump and gave up two runs to improve to 3-1 on the season.
Fultz and VanKoevering each ended the second game with three hits, while Kobernick and Clark each had two hits. Kobernick and VanKoevering each drove in three runs.
With the wins, K improves to 10-6 in the MIAA and will take a break from conference play this Tuesday, April 18 when it travels to Illinois Tech. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.