Baseball: Olivet swept at Calvin, 7-1 and 18-9

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team was on the losing end for both games for a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) doubleheader against Calvin College today in Grand Rapids. The Knights won by scores of 7-1 and 18-9.

In the opener, Olivet scored its only run in the first inning on an RBI-single by senior Peter Panos to plate senior Nicolai Jump. The Comets had a chance to score more runs, as they had the bases loaded before a fly out ended the threat. Calvin took the lead with a pair of runs in the second, added single tallies in the fourth and fifth innings and capped its scoring with a three-run sixth inning.

In defeat, Olivet had only four hits, including a 2-for-3 performance by Panos. Jump and senior Drew Thompson recorded the other two hits. On the mound, Junior Mitch Galloway was saddled with the loss after allowing three earned runs on seven hits in four and one-third innings.

In the nightcap, the Knights erupted for 11 runs in the first and two each in the second and third innings to take a commanding 15-0 lead. The Comets then did all of their damage in the fourth inning when they batted around and scored nine runs. Six Olivet players drove in a run in the inning. The biggest hits were two-run single by Thompson and three-run double by sophomore Andrew Dayfield. Calvin scored a run in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings for its final three runs.

For the game, the Comets recorded 13 total hits, with four players having a multi-hit game. Thompson was 2-for-4, while Dayfield, senior Tom Kort and freshman Connor Murney each went 2-for-3. Junior Stephen Botti scored two runs. Senior Collin McCririe surrendered all of the first-inning runs to be charged with the pitching loss.

The Comets are scheduled to host Aquinas College for a nine-inning, non-conference game next Tuesday, April 7. First pitch from the Cutler Athletic Complex is at 2 p.m.