Baseball team loses 20-11 slugfest at Earlham

RICHMOND, Ind. – The Olivet College baseball team lost a 20-11 slugfest to Earlham (Ind.) College in a nine-inning, non-conference game on a blustery afternoon at Randal R. Sadler Stadium in Richmond, Indiana.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Earlham 20, OIivet 11
Location: Randal R. Sadler Stadium; Richmond, Ind.
Records: Earlham 1-3 overall, Olivet 0-4 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Comets scored four runs in the top half of the first inning. With an RBI-single, junior Aiden Holliday drove home senior Austin Cleaver. Sophomore Gary Tompkins III lined a three-run home run over the fence in right-center field to score Holliday and freshman Aaron Gillespie.
• The Quakers got one run back in the home half of the first.
• Olivet pushed across a pair of runs in the second when Gillespie's RBI-triple plated Cleaver. The throw to third bounced into the home dugout to bring home Gillespie.
• Earlham cut its deficit down to two, 6-4, with a three-run fourth inning.
• The Comets responded with a run in the top half of the fifth. Cleaver reached on an error, went to second on a ground out, advanced to third on Holliday's single and scored on a wild pitch.
• The Quakers hit two solo home runs in the bottom half of the fifth to make the score 7-6.
• Earlham grabbed a 9-7 lead with three runs in the sixth inning.
• In its half of the seventh inning, Olivet plated four runs to re-gain the lead at 11-9. The big hit of the inning was a two-out, two-run double by junior Colton Dawdy.
• The Quakers came right back with eight runs in the bottom of the seventh to take the lead back, 17-11. Seven of the runs were scored after two outs were recorded.
• Earlham capped the scoring with a three-run eighth inning and then retired Olivet 1-2-3 in the ninth for the come-from-behind win.
• The teams combined for 34 hits in the game. Of the 34 base knocks, 16 were for extra bases, including four home runs.

FOR THE COMETS

• Gillespie went 3-for-5 from the second spot in the lineup.
• Cleaver and Gillespie each scored three runs.
• Dawdy, Holliday and Tompkins III had two hits apiece.
• Six pitchers made an appearance on the mound.
• Junior Zach Oshinsky threw the first four innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits.
• Holliday suffered the loss, as he gave up the eight runs in the seventh on eight hits. 

FOR THE QUAKERS

• Brennan Laird and Danny Dopp both were 4-for-5.
• Laird scored two runs and drove in three, while Dopp scored three runs and drove in two.
• Eric Elkus had three hits, four runs and four RBI.
• Isaiah Shake collected three hits.
• On the mound, Howie Smith earned the win.

UP NEXT

• Olivet will fly to Florida on Friday to begin play Saturday at the RussMatt Invitational. The Comets' first game is against Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham (N.J.). First pitch at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale is 9:15 a.m.