April 3, 2010

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

ADRIAN, Mich. - The baseball team scored their most runs in a game since 2005 as they won 21-7 in game one against Trine and then needed to score in their last at-bat in game two to pull out a 5-4 win in game two. The wind was blowing out and Adrian took full advantage with 18 hits including a season-high four home runs in the game one win.

David Partyka gave up two runs in the first inning to the Thunder and then gave up just one more in his four innings on the mound to pick up the win improving to 3-0. Adrian gave him plenty of run support with four runs in the second, one in the third and 11 runs in the fourth to take a 16-3 lead. Craig Steadman pitched a scoreless sixth inning and Josh Burd followed with a scoreless seventh in relief for the Bulldogs.

Andrew Anderson set the tone missing just a triple from hitting for the cycle in game one. He had a two-run home run in the second, a double down the right field line in the fourth and a single also in the fourth. He reached base four times as he was also hit by a pitch in the first and had three runs and three RBI's. Brian Bilius hit a three-run home run to left center in the fourth and also scored twice. Alex Cowart went 2-for-3 with a run and three RBI's. He also had a three-run home run in the fourth. Joe Dubina also hit a home run in the second inning and ended the game 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI's. Ben Muer collected his first two RBI's of the season with a double in the sixth.

Trine opened up the scoring in game two with a pair in the first inning off starter Sean Hartman. Hartman gave up four walks in the inning and lasted just one more inning before leaving for Andrew Geese. The Bulldogs scored twice in the first also to tie the game. Anderson led things off with a home run and Jake Cappelletty had a one-out sacrifice fly to center.

Trine regained the lead in the fifth on a controversial call. The Thunder had a runner on third with two outs and Travis Case hit a ball into left. Cowart slid and apparently made the catch but it was ruled that he trapped the ball allowing the run to score and give Trine a 3-2 lead.

The Bulldogs responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth as they scored both with two outs. Steve Vanderheyden had an RBI double to score Cowart and Cappelletty had a bloop single to center which scored Vanderheyden to take a 4-3 lead.

Nick Sarkissian entered in the sixth and held Trine off the board. Adrian also went down in order in the sixth to set up a drama-filled seventh. Sarkissian hit a batter and walked another to put runners on first and second with one out. Dan Welch came into the game and gave up a RBI single to Ryan Smith, who threw the first six innings for the Thunder and allowed nine hits and four earned runs with a walk and strikeout. Welch got a big strikeout and flyout to put the team back in the dugout with a 4-4 tie.

Anthony Hammond came into the game for Trine on the mound and hit Cowart to start the inning. Chris Kerekes pinch ran for Cowart and made it to second on a passed ball. Nate Sarkissian had a sacrifice bunt for the first out and moved Kerekes to third. Vanderheyden played the role of hero as he singled through the left side to score the winning run.

Anderson had two hits in game two and batted .400 (6-for-15) for the four-game series against Trine. Cowart went 2-for-2 with a run and hit .667 (8-for-12) in the series. Vanderheyden had a breakthrough series going 7-for-13 against the Thunder and was 3-for-4 with two RBI's in game two.