Baseball team crushes Hope in game one, 13-0, loses game two, 4-2

HOLLAND, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball continued its trend in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play by splitting a doubleheader for the fifth consecutive time this season. Behind a one-hit shutout from junior Jake Ball (Cadillac), the Comets crushed Hope College, 13-0, in the opener. The Flying Dutchmen rallied to win the second game, 4-2.

In the first game, Olivet scored five runs in the second inning. Highlighting the inning was a bases-clearing double by junior Jonny Zawacki (Alpena). The Comets plated an unearned run in the third before putting the game out of reach with a five-run fourth inning. Olivet added to its lead with two runs in the seventh.

For the game, the Comets recorded 15 base hits. Sophomore leadoff batter Beau Langs (Climax/Climax-Scotts) went 4-for-5, with two runs scored. Zawacki collected two hits to go along with two runs scored and five RBI. Sophomore Peter Panos (Davison) and senior Randy Young (Wixom/Walled Lake Western) each had two hits, while Panos and sophomore Conner Magro (Bridgman) also scored two runs apiece.

The offensive outburst was more than enough for Ball, as he allowed the one single in the fourth inning. Ball did work out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth by getting a called third strike for the last out. With the win, he improved to 4-0 on the season.

In the nightcap, the Comets pushed across a run in the first inning. Langs walked, went to second on a groundout and scored on a single by senior Andrew Brawley (Niles). Hope tied the game with a run in the fourth and took a 2-1 lead with another run in the fifth. Olivet quickly knotted the score at 2-2 by scoring an unearned run in the top half of the sixth inning.

The Dutchmen grabbed the lead back with two runs in the last half of the sixth inning. Olivet went down 1-2-3 in the seventh inning.

The Comets were held to six hits, including two for sophomore Joey Myers (Lansing/Holt). Four others each had one hit. The lone extra base hit was a double for Zawacki. Senior Jay Magro (Bridgman) was tagged with the loss. He gave up the four runs on six hits in five and one-third innings.

Olivet is back in action Monday afternoon when it travels to play Alma College for two games, starting at 2 p.m.