Baseball team ends season with two losses to Alma, 6-4 and 12-1

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team ended its season with two losses in a doubleheader against Alma College today at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. The Scots rallied to win game one, 6-4, before taking game two, 12-1.

In the first game, the Comets grabbed a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the first inning. Senior Jimmy Schoof walked to lead off the inning, went to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a single by junior Austin Cleaver and scored on an RBI-single by senior Stephen Botti. Cleaver took third base on Cleaver's and came around to score on a groundout off senior Tyler Parish's bat.

Olivet manufactured a run in the second inning to extend its lead to 3-0. Junior Andrew Dayfield walked, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Nick Jones, went to third on a single by Schoof and scored on a sacrifice fly by freshman Bronson Warren.

Alma did not need a hit to score two runs in the third inning. The first run came in on a hit by pitch with the bases loaded and the second on a bases-loaded walk. The Comets got one back in the home half of the third. Parish was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt and scored on an RBI-single by senior Zach Kitzmiller.

In the fourth inning, the Scots had a hit and two walks to load the bases before a double scored all of the runners to put them ahead 5-4. Alma added an insurance run in the seventh inning.

At the plate, Olivet had six base hits, all singles by six different players – Botti, Cleaver, Kitzmiller, Schoof, and sophomores Connor Murney and Luke Spotts. Senior Colin Boak was charged with the pitching loss after allowing five runs on six hits in three and one-third innings. Sophomore Joseph Crosby threw the final three and two-third innings of relief, giving up a run on three hits. Both pitchers struck out five batters each.

In the nightcap, Alma scored two runs in the second, one in the third, five in the fifth and three in the sixth to take an 11-0 lead. The Comets scored their only run in the bottom half of the seventh on a throwing error by the shortstop trying to turn a double play. The Scots got that run back in the eighth inning.

For the game, Olivet was limited to six hits. Sophomore Colton Dawdy was the only player with multi-hits, going 2-for-4 with two singles and one run scored. Kitzmiller, and freshmen Jesse Petersen and Gage Roberts each hit a double. Dayfield had the other hit.

Four senior pitchers combined to throw the nine innings. Mitch Galloway started on the mound and lasted only three innings to be tagged with the loss. Nick Taylor, Tom Miller and Ryan Roeske each pitched two innings in relief. Roeske struck out three batters.