Baseball team swept by Trine, 15-2 and 5-1
The Olivet College baseball team was swept by Trine (Ind.) University, 15-2 and 5-1, in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) doubleheader this afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet.
OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team was swept by Trine (Ind.) University, 15-2 and 5-1, in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) doubleheader this afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. The teams split the four-game league series since the Comets won twice yesterday at Jannen Field in Angola.
In the first game, the Thunder jumped out to an early 3-0 lead with three runs in the top half of the first inning. Olivet answered with two runs in its half of the first. From there, Trine scored 12 unanswered runs, four in the second, one in the third and seven in the fourth to take the commanding 15-2 lead. The Comets managed just four hits in the final six innings, with only two runners getting in score position.
Olivet had seven hits in the contest, led by freshman Austin Cleaver's 3-for-3 performance. Four others each had one hit. The lone extra base hit was a double by sophomore Stephen Botti (Decatur). Junior Jimmy Schoof (Merrill) suffered the pitching loss after allowing seven earned runs on seven hits in two innings.
Similar to the first game, Trine took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run single. The Thunder plated a pair of unearned runs in the fifth and another run in the sixth for a 5-0 lead. The Comets dented the scoreboard for the only time in the home of the sixth inning. Cleaver led off the inning with an infield single and came around to score on a double down the right field line by junior Drew Thompson (Canton/Salem).
Olivet out-hit Trine, 6-4. Senior Dylan Betcher (Lansing/Everett) was 2-for-3, while four other players collected one hit apiece. Sophomore David Hernandez (Lansing/Eastern) was the losing pitcher after giving up four runs (two earned) on three hits in five innings.
The Comets will play a nine-inning, non-conference Tuesday afternoon at Oakland University. First pitch is 3 p.m. Olivet's next MIAA series is Friday and Saturday against Kalamazoo College. The first two games will be played Friday in Kalamazoo at 2 p.m., followed by the third and fourth games in Olivet Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.