VERO BEACH, Fla. – Jon Grotelueschen's four-RBI performance led the way, as Trinity International picked up their first doubleheader sweep of the spring, defeating Penn State-Beaver 10-1 in game one, and 10-7 in game two at the Historic Dodgertown Invitational on Tuesday.
Box Scores: Game 1 | Game 2 | Season StatsGrotelueschen scored the game-winning run in the 6th inning of the nightcap, then drove in two insurance runs with a 7th-inning single to put the game out of reach. Overall the Trojans (8-5) had their best offensive day of the season, setting a new season high with ten runs scored in both contests.
Senior pitcher
A.J. Bruner improved his record to 4-1 on the year by shutting down the Nittany Lions (0-4) at the plate in the first game of the day. The Evansville, Ind. native held PSU-Beaver to four hits and one unearned run while striking out five. Eight different Trojans picked up a hit in that first game, including
Adam Gomski, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored to lead the charge.
TIU jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st, cranking four hits and taking advantage of two PSU errors. Bruner put his team on the board with an RBI single, scoring
Colt Foerch. Two runs then scored on a fielding error, and
Jon Debowey added the fourth run with an RBI single to right, bringing home
Michael Balistreri.
Trinity added to their lead with three more runs in the 2nd, highlighted by Gomski's fielder's choice, which saw two runs come home thanks to a throwing error.
In the much tighter second game, the Trojans again took an early lead, scoring three runs in the 1st inning thanks to three straight walks to start the frame. Bruner then drove in two runs with a single through the left side of the infield, and Balistreri added to the lead with a two-out RBI single to right.
Two errors from the Trinity infield allowed the Lions to cut into the deficit, scoring twice in the bottom of the 2nd. TIU extended their lead in the top of the 4th however, with base hits from Josh Crist and
Jeff Lindberg setting the table for Grotelueschen's two-RBI single, giving the Trojans a 5-2 edge.
Again PSU-Beaver responded, hanging two more runs on Trinity in the bottom of the 4th, before a leadoff walk and an Eddie Piotrowski base hit gave Crist the opportunity for his two-RBI knock. Penn State then tied the game in the bottom of the 5th with three runs on four hits, evening the score at 7-7.
Grotelueschen then broke the tie by scoring with two outs in the 6th on a passed ball. In the bottom half of the frame Zach Haning worked around a pair of singles, then closed out the win in the 7th after the Trojans added some insurance with two more scores.
Haning earns his first win as a Trojan, becoming the fifth TIU pitcher this season to record a win.
The Trojans continue their Florida trip with the first of a three game set against Rochester (Mich.) tomorrow morning. First pitch in the nine-inning contest is set for 9:00 a.m. CST.