Baseball team ends spring break trip with 4-1 loss to Illinois College

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Olivet College baseball team ended its spring break trip to Florida with a 4-1 loss to Illinois College this morning at Terry Park in Fort Myers. With the loss, the Comets finish the trip with a 3-5 overall record.

In today's game, Illinois plated two runs in the top half of the sixth inning. Olivet answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Junior Austin Cleaver reached on a fielder's choice, went to second base on a wild pitch, advanced to third on an infield single by senior Stephen Botti and scored on a single by sophomore Connor Murney. The Comets had a chance to score more runs in the inning but left the bases loaded.

The score stayed 2-1 until the ninth inning when the Blueboys pushed across two runs to go up 4-1. Olivet had one base runner in the home half of the ninth but did not score any runs.

For the game, the Comets were limited to six hits, including two for freshman Travis Petts. On the mound, sophomore Joe Crosby started and did not allow a run in five innings. Sophomore Cameron Hendrickson relieved him and gave up the two runs in the sixth to be charged with the loss. Senior Ryan Roeske threw an inning and one-third of scoreless relief, while freshman Gage Roberts surrendered the final two runs in two innings.

The Comets will make their northern debut Friday and Saturday, March 25-26, with a four-game Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association series. The first two games will be played Friday afternoon at Olivet's Cutler Athletic Association, starting at 2 p.m. The series then moves to Adrian's Nicolay Field Saturday for two games, beginning at 1 p.m.