AUBURNDALE, Fla. (Mar. 4)- The Saint Vincent baseball team was defeated 6-0 by Trine in the Bearcats season opener in Florida on Monday morning.
 
The Bearcats (0-1) were limited to just four hits by the Trine (1-0) pitching staff. The Thunder on the other hand, recorded 16 hits, scoring one run in the first, three in the fourth and one in each of the seventh and eighth to secure the win.
 
Michael Klingensmith took the loss on the mound for the Bearcats. Klingensmtih pitched 4.1 innings, giving up four earned runs on eight hits, while also striking a batter out and walking one as well.
 
Cody May pitched a strong 1.2 innings in relief of Klingensmith, giving up no runs on just two hits, while also walking a batter. Sean McAleer pitched an inning as well giving up one run on three hits. Austin Tirpak pitched two thirds of an inning allowing one run on three hits.
 
Tyler Dancu made his Saint Vincent debut, picking up a strikeout on the one batter he faced to end the eighth inning.
 
Offensively, Dalton Nicklow recorded two of the Bearcats four hits, both singles, while also walking once too. Dylan Schmude and Billy Perroz notched the other two hits in the contest for Saint Vincent.
 
Kyle Belmont, J'Shawn Taylor, and Mario Disso all reached base once as well via the walk.
 
It looked like a promising start for the Bearcats in the top of the first as walks to Disso, Nicklow, and Perroz loaded the bases with just one out. L.J. Evans came up and ripped a ball down the third base line, but Trine third baseman Joel Walton not only saved a couple of runs, he started a 5-4-3 double play to end the Bearcats threat.
 
Trine hit the scoreboard first in the bottom half of the innings, scoring on a sacrifice-fly to give them a 1-0 lead. Derek Hald ended any more Threat for Trine, throwing out his first of three runners attempting to steal during the game to end the inning.
 
Both pitchers started to get into a groove over the next couple of innings as the score remained 1-0 in favor of the Thunder heading into the bottom of the fourth.
 
Trine broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth. The Thunder once again scored on a sacrifice fly to give them a 2-0 lead and then a two-out, two-RBI single to left field increased their lead to 4-0 heading into the fifth inning.
 
Once again, both teams went stagnant on offense over the next two innings as Trine still led 4-0 heading into the seventh. The Thunder added an insurance run on an infield single in the seventh (5-0) and then another one on a solo homerun to left field to give them a 6-0 lead.
 
The Bearcats threatened to end the shutout in the top of the ninth, but once again Trine's pitching held strong to hand the Bearcats the loss in the season opener.
 
Saint Vincent left six runners on base over the course of the game, while the Thunder on the other hand stranded 11 runners.
 
Cam Nagel picked up the win for Trine, pitching seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits, while walking three batters and striking out two. Five different Trine players recorded at least two hits in the contest, including Tyler Beyke and Dalton Nikirk who both had three hits for the Thunder.
 
Saint Vincent continues their Florida trip, tomorrow, Tuesday, March 5 when they take on Drew at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale. First pitch is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at Lake Myrtle Park on Tuesday.