Baseball team sweeps Alma, 8-4 and 7-5

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team swept a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) doubleheader from Alma College on a cold and rainy afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. The Comets won the first game, 8-4, and then took the nightcap, 7-5.

In the opener, the Scots score a run in the first inning. Olivet took the lead with three runs in the second inning on an RBI-single by junior Beau Langs and a two-run single by senior Dylan Betcher (Lansing/Everett). The Comets added to their lead in the third inning when they scored four runs and then capped their scoring with a single run in the fourth. Alma scored three runs in the fifth inning but never got any closer.

For the game, Olivet recorded 11 hits. Betcher, Langs, junior Tom Kort (New Hudson/South Lyon) and senior Joel Peters (Troy/Avondale) each had two hits. Sophomore Stephen Botti (Decatur) earned the win, as he tossed the first five innings and gave up two earned runs on nine hits. Junior Collin McCririe (Brighton) did not allow a run in two innings of relief.

After Alma scored a run in the top half of the second inning of game two, Olivet answered with three runs in its half of the inning. With the bases loaded, Kort and Langs hit back-to-back RBI-singles. The third run scored on a balk.

The Scots got one back run in the third inning. The Comets responded with a two-run single by Kort in the bottom half of the inning to gain a 5-2 lead. Alma came back with a three-run fifth inning to tie the game at 5-5.

Olivet plated the winning runs in the sixth inning. Freshman Austin Cleaver (St. Johns) reached on a fielder's choice. Betcher then lined a ball off the pitcher's glove for a single, but then pitcher threw the ball away to allow Cleaver to advance to third base and Betcher to go to second base.

The Scots made a pitching change. On the first pitch he saw from the new pitcher, junior Drew Thompson (Canton/Salem) hit a two-run double down the right field line to score the runs.

Alma loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batter in the top half of the seventh inning. McCririe got out of the jam with a strikeout looking and groundout to second base.

For the game, Olivet collected 11 hits. Betcher was 3-for-4, while Kort and sophomore Peter Panos (Davison) each went 2-for-3. Panos scored two runs, while Kort drove in three. Freshman Thomas Mudge (Vermontville/Maple Valley) started on the mound, allowing two runs on one hit in two innings. Sophomore Mitch Galloway (Coldwater) gave up three runs on two hits in 2.1 innings.

Sophomore Jared Scheese (Chelsea) was the winning pitcher, as he 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. McCririe earned his first collegiate save.

The Comets are back in action tomorrow for a nine-inning, non-conference game at Aquinas College. First pitch from Kimble Stadium is slated for 2 p.m.