KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Kalamazoo College baseball team finished its MIAA series against Trine with a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon (Apr. 8). The Hornets swept the two games 14-3 and 14-3 in seven innings, taking two of three games from the Thunder for the series win.
GAME 1: Kalamazoo 14, Trine 3 (7 innings)
The Kalamazoo bats had a big inning in the third as the Hornets sent 12 hitters to the plate. There were six hits, a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and an error in the inning. A Robert Newland double and Tanner Hawkins single put two runners on, with Newland scoring on a bunt single by Lukas Bolton. After a pitch hit Harrison Poeszat to load the bases, David Stechow brought two runs in on a double down the right field line. Ryar Rinehart followed with another two-RBI double to center field and then scored on an error by the defense from a Cam Kelly ground ball.
The Hornets added another run in the fourth as Mills reached on a fielder's choice after a Bolton single and then scored on Stechow's second double in as many innings. Thomas Sylvester (5-1) got the win on the hill after throwing five scoreless innings, allowing four hits and three walks, and striking out three.
In the fifth, another 10 batters came to the plate for Kalamazoo, with six scoring. Kelly walked, a pitch hit Newland, and Hawkins reached on an error to load the bases. A sacrifice fly by Bolton brought in Kelly, then three straight singles by Mills, Poeszat, and Stechow brought in another three runs. Finally, Rinehart smacked his second two-RBI double of the day to make the score 14-0.
Joe Wade threw a clean sixth inning with a hit and a strikeout each. Matt Butterly got one out in the seventh and allowed three runs (two earned) on a hit and three walks with a strikeout. Blake Parpart got the final two outs, one coming via the strikeout.
Stechow was 3-4 at the plate with two doubles and four RBI. Bolton was also 3-4 with a double, a sacrifice fly, and three RBI. Both of Rinehart's hits were two-RBI doubles for a total of four RBI.
GAME 2: Kalamazoo 14, Trine 4 (7 innings)
Trine jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first on an RBI single and double. However, the Hornets responded in the bottom half of the inning with five runs on five hits and a hit by pitch. After one out, Kalamazoo hit five straight singles with Stechow, Rinehart, and Newland picking up an RBI each. After a pitch hit Kelly to load the bases, Logan Lockhart collected an RBI on a fielder's choice. Finally, the Hornets executed a steal and stop as Lockhart distracted the fielders long enough between first and second to allow Newland to steal home.
Another three runs were added in the second for Kalamazoo to take an 8-2 lead. A Hawkins double, Mills walk, and Poeszat hit by pitch loaded the bases with one out. Stechow picked up another RBI on a sacrifice fly, and Rinehart brought the other two on a triple to the right-center field gap.
A solo home run by Trine in the fourth cut the deficit to five, but the Hornets came right back with three more in the bottom half of the inning. An error and a single by Mills and Poeszat set up the inning. Stechow laid down a bunt single that allowed Mills to score. Then, after Rinehart walked to load the bases and two outs, Lockhart knocked a single up the middle to bring around Poeszat and Stechow.
Braden Mussat (2-0) got the win on the bump by allowing three runs (two earned) in four innings on five hits while striking out four. The lead stretched to 10 in the fifth with two more runs scoring for Kalamazoo. Walks by Bolton, Mills, and Poeszat loaded the bases, and then Stechow also walked to bring in Bolton. Rinehart brought Mills in on a deep sacrifice fly to center field for the second run.
Both teams scored a run each in the seventh, with the Hornets' run clinching the seven-inning win. Mills walked and advanced to third on a groundout and a Stechow single. Then, Rinehart capped off a great day at the plate with a sacrifice fly to bring in Mills.
Brenden Oprinski pitched two shutout innings in relief, allowing two hits and striking out one. Wade threw the seventh and gave up an unearned run.
Stechow finished 3-3 with four RBI, two runs scored, and a walk. Rinehart went 2-2 with five RBI, and Lockhart also knocked in three runs. Poeszat had two hits and a walk, while Mills walked three times and had a hit.
Kalamazoo will continue MIAA play by traveling to Holland, Mich., to face Hope on Monday (Apr. 10) in a single game, beginning at 4 p.m.