Baseball team takes two from Albion, 17-3 and 3-0

OLIVET, Mich. – Sophomore leadoff batter Beau Langs reached base safely in all eight of his plate appearances to lead the Olivet College baseball team to a doubleheader sweep over Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Albion College this afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. In game one, the Comets recorded season-highs in runs and hits (20) in a 17-3 win. In game two, senior Kyle Fisher threw a complete game, three-hit shutout in a 3-0 win.

In the opener, Olivet wasted no time putting runs on the scoreboard, as it sent 12 batters to the plate and scored eight runs in the first inning. The first big hit in the inning was a two-run double by freshman Stephen Botti. Later in the inning, Langs batted with the bases loaded and cleared them with a double to the right-center field gap.

The Britons got two runs back in the top half of the second inning before the Comets answered back with a six-run third inning. Sophomore Peter Panos had a double to drive in the final two runs of the frame and Olivet led 14-2. Albion pushed across one run in the fourth inning. The Comets capped the scoring with single tallies in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

For the game, every Olivet starter had at least one hit, with seven of the nine players recording multi-hit games. Langs led the way with four hits, four runs scored and three RBI. Sophomore Tom Kort went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Picking-up two hits each were Botti, Panos, senior Andrew Brawley, sophomore Drew Thompson and senior Randy Young. Botti, Brawley, Panos and Thompson collected two RBI apiece, while Brawley, Kort and Young scored two runs each.

Freshman Colin Boak started on the mound, allowing three earned runs on five hits in four innings, to earn the win. Ryan Roeske, Jarred Scheese and Botti each threw a scoreless and hitless inning of relief.

The nightcap was a pitcher's duel between Fisher and Albion lefty Ross Hall for the first three innings. The Comets used a two-out rally to score the only runs they would need in the last half of the fourth inning. Thompson was at third base, and Kort hit a dribbler down the third base line. The third baseman fielded the ball but his throw was errant, allowing Thompson to score and move Kort to second. Langs then hit a double to left field to score Kort.

Olivet added an insurance run in the sixth inning. After back-to-back walks to Panos and Kort, Langs hit a single to shallow center field to score Panos. With only one out in the books, the Britons brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh, but a flyout and called third strike ended the game.

For the game, the Comets had only six hits. Brawley and Langs each had two. Fisher needed exactly 100 pitches to gain the shutout win.

Olivet is scheduled to host Aquinas College Wednesday afternoon for a nine-inning, non-conference game. Game time is set for 2 p.m.

NOTES: Langs batted 12-for-16 in the four-game series against Albion. He also scored four runs earlier this season against Kenyon (Ohio) College, which is the second-most in a game since the 2001 season. The 20 hits for Olivet ties for the second-most in a game since the 2001 season, and the most in a MIAA game since recording 20 on Apr. 25, 2005.