Baseball team loses twice at home to Calvin, 7-4 and 10-2

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team lost twice to Calvin College this afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex in in Olivet. In the opener, the Comets rallied to send the game to extra innings but the Knights scored three runs in the eighth to win the game, 7-4. Calvin won a rain-shortened second game, 10-2.

In game one, the Knights took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run home run by Colton Wolfe. Olivet got one back in the fourth inning on an RBI-single by sophomore Colton Dawdy which scored senior Zach Kitzmiller who had reached base on a single. The Comets left the bases loaded in the inning.

Calvin had RBI base hits down the right field line in the sixth and seventh innings to go up 4-1. The Comets used a two-out rally to plate three runs in the bottom half of the seventh. After an out was recorded, sophomore Luke Spotts singled up the middle and junior Andrew Dayfield was hit by a pitch to put two runners on.

Following a fly out, senior Tyler Parish walked to load the bases. Sophomore Michael O'Brien entered the game to run for Parish. Senior Stephen Botti lined a single into right field. Spotts and Dayfield scored and when the ball went through the legs of the outfielder, O'Brien scored the tying run.

In the eighth, the Knights used a bases-loaded walk to bring home the go-ahead run, followed by a wild pitch to plate another run and a sacrifice fly to score a third run. The Comets were retired 1-2-3 in the eighth.

At the plate, Spotts reached base safely in all four of his plate appearances, twice on walks and with two singles. Sophomore Aiden Holliday threw the first seven innings but did not factor in the decision. He gave up four runs on seven hits, while striking out three. Senior Ryan Roeske suffered the loss after yielding the three eighth-inning runs on just one hit.

Calvin scored four runs in the first inning of game two. The Comets cut their deficit in half on a two-run double down the left field line by freshman Jesse Petersen in the second inning. Kitzmiller and Botti scored on the hit. The Knights plated three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings.

All three of Olivet's hits and all of their base runners came in the second inning. O'Brien started on the mound and lasted three and two-thirds innings. He yielded seven runs on eight hits. Sophomore Joseph Crosby tossed the final inning and one-third. The three runs he gave up were unearned.

The Comets will wrap-up their 2016 season next Friday and Saturday, May 6-7, with a four-game series against Alma College. Friday's doubleheader will be played at Klenk Park in Alma at 2 p.m., while Saturday's games will be in Olivet at 1 p.m. Before the games in Olivet, Olivet will celebrate the 35th anniversary of its 1981 MIAA Championship team. More information on celebration can be found at http://bit.ly/81_BSB_MIAA_CHAMP.