ALBION, Mich. – Albion College pitchers Mike Schypinski (Sterling Heights/De La Salle) and Kyle Cassidy (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) were stirred but never shaken into allowing big innings, B.J. Konkle (Marshall) delivered a walk-off single in game one, and John Gignac (Grand Rapids/Forest Hills Central) drove in the game-winning run in game two as the Britons started a four-game weekend series against Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association rival Trine University by sweeping the doubleheader at Frank Joranko Field.

The teams will complete the series at 1 p.m. Sunday with a pair of games at Trine's Jannen Field.

"The Trine batters did a good job of extending at-bats by fouling off pitches, but Mike and Kyle pitched their game plan," Albion Coach Scott Carden said. "They pitched to contact. We talk about limiting damage and a sign on a good team is keeping the opponent from getting a big inning."

Schypinski cruised early as he needed just 22 pitches to get through the first two innings. Craig Rinkes greeted Schypinski with a leadoff double in the third, but Rinkes was stranded at third as the next three Thunder batters were unable to hit the ball out of the infield.

Albion plated runs in the second and third to take a 2-0 lead. Gignac picked up his first RBI of the day on a two-out single which sent Ben Gould (Alpena)home from second. The Britons rapped three singles in the third as Dan Mills (Northville) scampered home on Chuck DeClarke's (Holt/Lansing Catholic Central) knock.

The Trine batters made adjustments and they made Schypinski labor in the late innings. Ryan Smith hit a one-out double in the sixth and he scored on a two-out single by Steve Cornett. The Thunder were down to their final strike in the seventh, but Josh Rivera delivered a single to right to plate Rinkes with the tying run.

Schypinski's final line included eight hits and a walk with five strikeouts.

Albion bounced back to score the winning run in the bottom of the seventh as Chad Gromek (Lansing/Lansing Catholic Central) drew a leadoff walk. The rally gained momentum when the Trine pitcher made a bad throw to first when Davin Montgomery (Novi/Northville) laid down a sacrifice bunt. That set the stage for Konkle to deliver the winning hit.

Both teams scored a run on three hits in the first inning of game two. Albion's first three hitters singled with DeClarke's hit driving in Gromek. Albion took a 2-1 lead in the second as Gromek's single scored Mills.

Trine scored a run in the fourth to tie the score at 2-2. Konkle drew a leadoff walk in the fifth and he scored the winning run when Gignac laced a single to center.

Trine got the tying run on base in the sixth and seventh innings, but Cassidy stranded the runner both times.  Smith hit a leadoff single in the sixth, but Cassidy struck out two of the next three batters and he got Cornett to hit a fly ball. A one-out error put the tying run on base in the seventh, but Cassidy got the next two batters to hit groundballs.

Cassidy allowed six hits. He struck out seven and did not issue a walk.