Baseball: Olivet loses to Ohio Northern, 6-5, in season-opener

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Olivet College baseball team fell to Ohio Northern University, 6-5, today in its season-opener at the Gene Cusic Classic and inside the Player Development Complex in Fort Myers, Florida.

The Polar Bears jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the second inning. Olivet took a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning when it pushed across three runs. With the bases loaded, junior Stephen Botti beat out a grounder to second base, which scored senior Beau Langs. Senior Peter Panos then lined a single to center field to score senior Jonny Zawacki. Botti moved to third base and then scored when senior Drew Thompson reached on a fielder's choice.

Ohio Northern answered with two runs in the home half of the fourth to take the lead back, 4-3. The Polar Bears stretched their lead to 6-3 with single tallies in both the fifth and eighth innings.

Olivet rallied for two runs in the top half of the ninth inning. Pinch-hitting with the bases loaded, junior Zach Kitzmiller lined a double in the left-center field gap to score Thompson and freshman Luke Spotts. Sophomore Austin Cleaver entered the game to run for Kitzmiller but he was stranded on the base.

At the plate, the Comets had six total hits. Botti was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Junior Colin Boak started on the mound. He allowed four runs, two earned, on three hits in four innings of work. Junior Mitch Galloway tossed three innings of relief, giving up an unearned run. Junior Ryan Roeske also pitched an inning of relief.

Olivet returns to the field tomorrow against Northland (Wis.) College. First pitch from Terry Park in Fort Myers is noon.