Baseball team drops both games of doubleheader against Trine

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team lost both games of a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) doubleheader against Trine (Ind.) University, 15-0 and 8-3, today at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet.

The Thunder sent 11 batters to the plate scored seven runs in the first inning of game one. Trine added two more runs in the second inning and one run in the third inning to go up 10-0. The Thunder scored their final five runs in the fifth inning. The Comets' only chance to score any runs came in the fourth inning when junior Austin Cleaver hit a double and went to third on a fielding error by the shortstop. A ground out ended the scoring threat.

At the plate, Olivet was limited to just five hits. Cleaver's double was the lone extra base hit. Four other players – seniors Andrew Dayfield and Zach Kitzmiller, and freshmen Jesse Petersen and Travis Petts – each had a single. Senior Mitch Galloway was the losing pitcher. Junior Sam Knoechel was the most effective reliever, as he threw two hitless innings.

In the nightcap, Trine scored two runs in both the third and fourth innings before adding single tallies in the both the fifth and sixth innings for a 6-0 lead. The Comets pushed across two runs in the home half of the sixth inning. Dayfield broke up a no-hitter with a one-out single to center field. Senior Jimmy Schoof followed with a single to advance Dayfield up to second base. A ground out moved both runners up a base. Kitzmiller lined a single into center field to score Dayfield and Schoof.

The Thunder got one back in the top half of the seventh on a leadoff home run. Olivet used a two-out rally to score a run its half of the seventh. Cleaver singled and went to third base on a hit-and-run single by senior Stephen Botti. Dayfield laced a double to deep center field to score Cleaver. Trine capped its scoring with a run in the ninth inning.

For the game, the Comets had six hits. Dayfield was the only player with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and RBI. Sophomore Aiden Holliday yielded four runs on nine hits to be tagged with the loss. Four relievers finished the game on the mound, and combined to give up four runs (three earned) on five hits.

Olivet returns to the field Saturday for a league doubleheader at Albion College. First pitch at Frank Joranko Field is 1 p.m.