Baseball team splits doubleheader with Calvin

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team split a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) doubleheader with Calvin College in its home-opener today at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. After losing game one, 5-1, the Comets won the second game, 2-1, behind a complete game, two-hit pitching performance from sophomore David Hernandez (Lansing/Eastern).

All of the scoring in the opener came in the sixth inning. The first run scored by the Knights was on a suicide squeeze bunt with runners on the corners. Olivet got one back in the bottom half of the inning and had a golden chance to score more, leaving the bases loaded. Junior Beau Langs (Climax/Climax-Scotts) brought in the first run when he beat the throw to first on a double play attempt by the Calvin defense.

The Comets had three hits in the contest, with sophomore Stephen Botti (Decatur), freshman Austin Cleaver (St. Johns) and senior Andrew Engle (Greenville) each collecting one. Junior Jimmy Schoof (Merrill) threw five and one-third innings to be saddled with the loss. He allowed four runs on six hits, while striking out five. Sophomore Ryan Roeske (Warren/De La Salle) got the final two outs of the sixth but allowed a run on a hit. Sophomore Mitch Galloway (Coldwater) pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

Like the first game, all of the scoring in the nightcap was held to one inning, the first inning. The Knights plated an unearned run. Grant Van Putten struck out but reached base when on an error throw by the catcher on the dropped third strike. He stole second and third base before scoring on a suicide squeeze bunt.

Olivet used a two-out hit to score its runs in the home half of the first. Cleaver singled before senior Dylan Betcher (Lansing/Everett) walked. A sacrifice bunt moved both up. Freshman Christopher Lanyi (Clio) lined a 2-1 pitch to shallow left field to score the runners.

Meanwhile, Hernandez was brilliant on the mound. He did not allow a hit until the sixth inning. Calvin left the tying run stranded on third base to end the sixth and seventh innings. A ground out ended the sixth and a called third strike ended the game in the seventh.

The Comets finished the game with four hits. Hernandez needed 107 pitches to gain his first win of the season. He struck out seven batters and walked two.

Olivet (3-15, 1-9 MIAA) is scheduled to host Alma College for a rescheduled doubleheader Monday afternoon, starting at 2 p.m.