Baseball team suffers heartbreaking loss at Davenport, 3-2

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team led 2-0 before Davenport University used a walk-off passed ball in the ninth inning to beat the Comets, 3-2, this evening at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex in Grand Rapids.

Olivet took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI-double by junior Austin Cleaver to score junior Andrew Dayfield who reached base on a one-out single. The same players helped the Comets score another run in the third inning. Dayfield walked and went to third base on Cleaver's single up the middle. Senior Stephen Botti drove home Dayfield with his ground out to the first baseman.

The Panthers strung together three hits in the sixth to tie the game at 2-2. An infield single started the rally, followed by a double to score the first run and then a single to plate the second run. In the ninth, Davenport had the winning run on second base. Olivet intentionally walked the next batter before a passed ball moved the runners up one base. Another intentional walk loaded the bases. Senior pitcher Ryan Roeske struck out the next batter before a passed ball allowed the winning run to cross the plate.

The Comets were limited to five hits in the contest, as Cleaver and Dayfield each had two, and Botti had one. On the mound, sophomore Joseph Crosby threw the first six innings and gave up the two runs on seven hits. Senior Tyler Parish tossed two innings of scoreless relief. Roeske was tagged with the loss after throwing the ninth inning.

Olivet will now play a four-game Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association series against Calvin College. The first doubleheader will be played Thursday afternoon in Grand Rapids, starting at 2 p.m., and the final two games will be played Saturday in Olivet, beginning at 1 p.m.