MARSHALL, Texas — With their backs against the the wall once again, the Trine Thunder came through, bringing home their first national championship.
The Thunder entered the day trailing Salisbury University 1-0 in the best-of-3 championship series. They evened the series Wednesday afternoon with their bats, taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning en route to a 6-2 win.
Karley Trine, a freshman from Kokomo, scored twice and drove in a run in the victory.
The winner-take-all Game 3 was a different story.
Neither team was able to plate a run through the first six innings. Thunder pitcher Alexis Minchon retired the side in order in the top of the seventh, giving Trine a chance to win in their last at bat.
Emma Beyer opened the inning with a single to center and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After a strikeout, Carolyn Biel singled down the left field line, scoring Beyer from second with the winning run.
Minchon struck out five in the complete-game win, retiring the last 14 Salisbury hitters she faced.
Debbie Hill, a freshman pitcher from Whiteland High School, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Hill struck out 10 batters and hit a two-run homerun in a 4-1 win over Coe College Monday to send the Thunder to the championship series.
Trine features nine players from central Indiana on their roster, including:
Amanda Prather - senior from Roncalli H.S.
April Sellers - sophomore from Tri-West H.S.
Karley Trine - freshman from Kokomo H.S.
Ashleigh Tranter - freshman from Brownsburg H.S.
Kennedy Huckeby - freshman from Kokomo H.S.
Ainsley Phillips - sophomore from Yorktown H.S.
Ellie Trine - senior from Kokomo H.S.
Debbie Hill - freshman from Whiteland H.S.
Taylor Koch - freshman from Eastern Hancock H.S.
