Baseball Splits Doubleheader with Trine

LAKELAND, Fla.—The Anna Maria College baseball team opened the 2015 season with a win and a loss in a non-conference doubleheader against Trine University at the RussMatt Invitational on Sunday.

Trine 11, Anna Maria 0

In game one, Trine pitcher Edward Tomich gave up just one hit and tossed 10 strikeouts in the complete seven-inning effort. He faced just one batter over the minimum, as his was one hit away from throwing a perfect game.

AMCAT starter Matthew Leahey (Rutland, Mass.) tossed five innings and gave up five hits, three earned runs and three walks while striking out five batters. Three other Anna Maria pitchers entered in relief, and combined to sacrifice 10 hits and eight earned runs.

Trine's Drew Palmer tallied a game-high three hits and batted in four runs. Jake Kendall, Ethan Prebynski, Jordan Baer, and Kory Shackle all totaled two hits each.

After scoring their first three runs in the third inning, Trine did the rest of their damage in the sixth inning, as they strung together six hits to bring eight baserunners across the plate.

Anna Maria 6, Trine 3

The AMCATS settled down in game two and wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as Nate Frederick (Worcester, Mass.) wacked a solo homerun as the first batter in the top of the first inning.

Trine answered with two runs in the bottom of the second and another in the fifth to take a two-run advantage.

The AMCATS went to work in the top of the seventh inning, stringing together three singles and a double to score four runs to take a 6-3 lead.   

Trine was unable to put together a comeback in the bottom of the seventh as they put one runner on with one out before hitting into back-to-back groundouts to conclude the game.

Anna Maria totaled 11 hits in the game, led by Nate Frederick, senior David Julian (Sterling, Mass.), sophomore Corey McNair (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and freshman Liam Pickett (Oxford, Mass.) with two each. Senior Corey Andrade (Mashpee, Mass.) and McNair both batted in two runs each.

Sophomore Andrew Sawyer (Dracut, Mass.) got the start on the mound and gave up five hits, three earned runs, and four walks in 4.2 innings of work. Freshman Tanner Jakola (Leominster, Mass.) earned the win in relief, giving up two hits and one walk while fanning one in 2.1 innings.

Trine pitcher Vinny Slobodecki gave up seven hits and one earned run while striking out six in six innings of work. Grant Frankland and Jake Weimer entered in relief and combined for four hits and four earned runs.

The AMCATS will be back in action tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. against Aurora in the second day of action at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.