Baseball team splits doubleheader with MIAA-rival Albion
The Olivet College baseball team split a doubleheader with Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Albion College this afternoon on a sun-drenched day at Frank Joranko Field in Albion. After Albion won the opener, 9-5, the Comets bounced back to win the nightcap, 8-1.
In the first game, Albion took a 3-0 lead with three runs in the second inning. Olivet grabbed a 4-3 lead after pushing across four runs in the third. Four different Comets collected a RBI in the frame. The Britons regained the lead, 6-4, with three runs in fourth. After Olivet trimmed its deficit to one run in the fifth, Albion scored three insurance runs in the sixth to take a 9-5 lead.
Offensively, the Comets had just eight hits. Sophomore Austin Clark (Ossineke/Alpena) went 2-for-2 at the plate with one double and one RBI. Senior Erik McCloud (Holly) also collected two hits to go along with a run scored, RBI and two stolen bases. Junior Ben Kosmalski (Canton/Plymouth) was officially 1-for-1, as he singled, was hit by a pitch, walked and hit a sacrifice fly in his four plate appearances. He also drove in a run and scored once. Junior Brad Beisiegel (Royal Oak) was tagged for the pitching loss. He allowed nine earned runs on 10 hits in five and one-third innings. Freshman Devon Doxey (Climax/Cimax-Scotts) got the final two outs in relief of Beisiegel.
In the nightcap, the Britons scored a run on sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the third. From there, Olivet scored eight unanswered runs. The Comets took their first lead at 2-1 with a pair of runs in the top half of the fourth when McCloud drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and Clark hit a RBI-single. Olivet added a run in the fifth and sixth on run-scoring doubles by junior Braydon LaFramboise's (Flushing/Mt. Morris) and Clark.
The Britons brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom half of the sixth. The Comets got out of the jam when Kosmalski turned an unassisted double play. He fielded a hard line drive and stepped on second base to double off the runner. Olivet busted the game open with a four-run seventh inning. The big hit of the inning was a two-RBI single by freshman Ryan Pitt (Imlay City).
For the game, Olivet out-hit Albion, 13-4, and 8-of-9 starters recorded at least one base hit. McCloud was 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Clark and LaFramboise each had two hits. Kosmalski also scored a pair of runs. Freshman Jay Magro (Bridgman) earned the win after throwing five and one-third innings. He gave up just one earned run on four hits to even his season record to 2-2. McCloud tossed the final inning and two-thirds to pick-up his second save.
The Comets and Britons will complete the four-game series Saturday with a doubleheader in Olivet, beginning at 1 p.m.