ANGOLA, Ind. – It was a weird outcome on Saturday afternoon at Trine University as the Bulldog baseball team split a pair of games against the Thunder. Two days after shutting out Trine in Adrian in two games, the Thunder erupted for 12 runs off four Adrian pitchers in a 12-4 win. It was Adrian's first conference loss of the season and the most runs given up by the Bulldogs this season.
Senior Ryan Domschot had been dominant early this season entering the game with a 1-1 record and a 1.56 ERA, but got touched up early and left after two innings. He allowed seven runs (six earned) and seven hits while walking one and striking out two. He was on three days' rest after a unusual schedule this week which featured eight games. Craig Steadman fared just as poorly going 3.2 innings and allowing four earned runs with two walks and four punchouts.
Sean Hartman and Mike Osterman combined to get the last out. Hartman allowed two hits and one earned run without recording an out and then Osterman retired the only batter he faced. Ryan Smith got the win for Trine on the mound improving to 2-2. He went five innings and allowed nine hits, three earned runs and also had four strikeouts.
Trine's big inning was a six-run third inning which gave them a 7-4 lead. They also added five runs in the sixth. Jake Cappelletty was 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI's in game one. Kyle Strawn was 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI's. Brian Bilius was 2-for-4 with a run.
The nightcap was much better for the black and gold as they responded with a 15-5 win over the Thunder to improve to 7-1 in the MIAA and give head coach Craig Rainey his 400th win as a Bulldog skipper.
Adrian scored five in the top of the first and then added two runs in the second and five more in the third to erase any doubt. The big blow in the first inning was a two-out, three-run homer by senior Jason Greer. Adrian had gone their first 15 games without a long ball. The big blast in the second inning was a two-run homer off the bat of Bilius with one out.
Andrew DeLuca delivered a two-RBI single in the third inning and Nate Sarkissian had a two-run double in the third. The Bulldogs scored twice in the fifth as Strawn had a sacrifice fly and Joe Dubina had an RBI single.
Adrian had 18 hits in game two as DeLuca finished 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBI's. Bilius went 3-for-4 with a double, homer and three RBI's. Sarkissian added three hits and three RBI's. Dubina went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
David Partyka put together another solid start going four innings and allowing seven hits and four earned runs. He improved to 3-1 this season and also walked two and struck out a pair of Thunder batters. Brent Greenwood threw an inning and allowed one earned run with a punchout. Lucas Willitzer threw the sixth and seventh innings and allowed no runs, three hits and no walks. He also struck out two hitters in a 23-pitch outing. Kyle Lidster was chased in the second inning for Trine. He yielded seven earned runs in 1.1 innings and gave up seven hits to fall to 1-2.
