Baseball: Albion takes two from Olivet, 13-12 and 12-6

ALBION, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team was swept in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) doubleheader against Albion College this afternoon at Frank Joranko Field in Albion. In the first game, Olivet rallied from a 10-4 deficit to take a 12-10 lead before the Britons scored the final three runs for a 13-12 win. In the second game, the Comets led 3-0 until Albion scored 12 runs and held on for a 12-6 win.

The Comets took an early 2-0 lead in their first at-bat. Senior Beau Langs reached on a leadoff double and came around to score on senior Drew Thompson's double. Thompson then went to third base on a groundout before scoring on freshman Austin Cleaver's base hit.

The Britons answered with a run in the home half of the first inning. Albion then used three Olivet errors to its advantage to score eight unearned runs on only two hits in the second inning. Three Briton errors paved the way to two Comet unearned runs in the top half of the third to make the score 9-4.

Albion got one back in its half of the third for a 10-4 lead. Olivet closed the gap to two runs, 10-8, with a four spot in the fourth inning. Langs grounded out to score the first run before Thompson collected his third hit of the day with an RBI-single. After junior Stephen Botti walked to load the bases, Cleaver stroked a single to plate two more runs.

The Comets took the lead, 12-10 with a four runs in the sixth inning. Senior Pete Panos led off the frame with a single and freshman Ryan Hendricks came into the game to run for Panos. Following two outs being recorded, Thompson was hit by a pitch and Botti walked to load the bases.

The Britons brought in their closer to get out of the jam. Cleaver greeted him not so kindly with a two-run single to tie the game. Freshman Colton Dawdy walked to re-load the bases. Freshman Luke Spotts hit a two-run single to score the go-ahead runs.

Albion answered with two runs in the home half of the sixth to level the score at 12-12. The Comets left the go-ahead run stranded in scoring position in the seventh. Michael Fischbach hit a walk-off home run to give the Britons a 13-12 win.

Despite the loss, Olivet had 13 hits. Thompson and Cleaver each had three hits in four at-bats, driving in three and five runs, respectively. Thompson also scored three runs. Panos and Spotts finished with two hits apiece.

Junior Mitch Galloway started on the mound, lasting on two innings after giving up nine runs (one earned) on three hits. Freshman Joseph Crosby threw an inning of relief before giving the ball to Zawacki for three innings of relief. Botti allowed the game-winning run to be charged with the loss.

The Comets scored a run in the first inning of the nightcap. Langs hit a double to lead off the game and scored on Thompson's base hit. Olivet doubled its lead in the next inning. Dawdy walked before getting to third on back-to-back balks. Spotts lined a double to score Dawdy.

The Comets tacked on another run in the third inning. Senior Jonny Zawacki stroked a double to start the inning, advanced third on a groundout to second and crossed the plate on Botti's groundout. The Britons came back with three runs in the bottom half of the third to tie the game.

After Olivet stranded the potential go-ahead run stranded at third in the top half of the fourth, Albion scored four runs in the bottom half of the inning to go up 7-3. The Britons added another run in the fifth and four more runs in the sixth for a 12-3 margin.

In the seventh inning, Zawacki hit a solo home run deep over the fence in right field. Later in the frame, Dawdy hit a two-run single for the final margin.

For the game, the Comets had seven hits, including two each for Langs and Zawacki. Zawacki also scored two runs. On the mound, senior Collin McCririe was shouldered with the loss after yielding seven runs (five earned) on six hits in four innings. Juniors Ryan Roeske and Jarred Scheese each tossed an inning of relief.

Olivet will wrap-up the 2015 season next Friday and Saturday, May 1-2, with a MIAA series against Hope College. The teams will play the first two games Friday afternoon at Boeve Field in Holland, starting at 2 p.m., before completing the series Saturday with two games in Olivet Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m.