Baseball team opens season with 6-2 loss at Hanover

HANOVER, Ind. – The Olivet College baseball team opened the 2017 season with a 6-2 loss to Hanover (Ind.) College today at K.T. Young Ballpark in Hanover, Indiana.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Hanover 6, Olivet 2
Location: K.T. Young Ballpark; Hanover, Ind.
Records: Hanover 5-1 overall, Olivet 0-1 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Panthers led 2-0 after plating a pair of runs in the bottom half of the first inning. 
• The Comets got one run back in the top of third inning. Senior Austin Cleaver walked and came around to score on a triple to right-center field by freshman Aaron Gillespie.
• Hanover increased its lead to 5-1 with two runs in the fifth and one run in the sixth.
• Olivet pushed across a run in the visitor's half of the eighth. Gillespie singled, stole second and scored on a single by sophomore Gary Tompkins III.
• The Panthers capped their scoring with a single tally in the home half of the eighth frame.

FOR THE COMETS

• Gillespie was 2-for-4 in his Olivet debut.
• Also recording hits were Cleaver, Tompkins III, freshman Alex Parthum and sophomore Bronson Warren.
• On the mound, junior Joseph Crosby was charged with the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits in four and one-third innings. Freshman Zac Walter threw three and two-thirds innings of relief, giving up one earned run on five hits. Both pitchers did not walk a batter, and struck out three.

FOR THE PANTHERS

• Alec Dunn and Jack Shine both went 3-for-4 at the plate.
• Chase Sizemore collected two hits and drove in two runs.
• Tyler Fitch also had two RBI.
• David Herrmann went the distance on the mound, yielding two earned runs on six hits.

UP NEXT

• The teams will complete the weekend series with a doubleheader tomorrow afternoon, starting at noon. Game one will be seven innings, followed by a nine-inning game.