Baseball team swept by MCLA, 6-5 and 11-8, at RussMatt Invitational

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Olivet College baseball team let leads slip away, as Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts rallied in the seventh inning to sweep the Comets, 6-5 and 11-8, today at the RussMatt Invitational and at the Chain of Lakes Sports Complex in Winter Haven, Florida.

THE BASICS
Final Scores: Mass. College of Liberal Arts 6, Olivet 5; MCLA 11, Olivet 8
Location: Chain of Lakes Sports Complex; Winter Haven, Fla.
Records: MCLA 2-2 overall, Olivet 0-7 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 1)

• The Comets scored four runs on just one hit in the fifth inning.
• Olivet increased its lead to 5-0 with a single tally in the sixth inning.
• The Trailblazers sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six runs on six hits in the bottom of the seventh.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet was held to three hits, including two by senior Austin Cleaver.
• Junior Aiden Holliday started on the mound and allowed two earned runs on six hits in six innings.
• Senior Andrew Dayfield was the losing pitcher.

FOR THE TRAILBLAZERS

• MCLA recorded 11 hits.
• Brett Labonte was 3-for-4.
• Four other players each had two hits.
• Schuyler Robinson threw the first five innings, and gave up the four runs on one hit. He struck out six.
• Bobby New tossed one-third inning.
• Eamonn Andre finished the game in relief to earn the win. He gave up two hits in an inning and two-thirds.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 2)

• The Trailblazers plated a run in the first inning.
• Olivet tied the game at 1-1 in the third inning when junior Colton Dawdy reached on a fielder's choice and came around to score on Holliday's double.
• A throwing error allowed MCLA to take a 3-1 lead in the top half of the fourth.
• The Comets grabbed a 4-3 lead in the bottom half of the fourth. Freshman Aaron Gillespie walked with the bases loaded to score Dayfield, and Dawdy lined a two-run double to score Cleaver and freshman Dillon Mitchell.
• Cleaver hit a grand slam home run in the fifth inning to put Olivet ahead 8-3.
• The score stayed that way until the seventh inning when the Trailblazers scored eight runs to go up 11-8.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet recorded seven hits.
• Out of the leadoff spot in the lineup, Cleaver went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI.
• Gillespie collected two hits, and Dawdy drove in two runs.
• Gillespie tossed the first six and one-third innings, yielding eight runs (five earned) on four hits.
• Sophomore Travis Petts allowed the final three runs to be tagged with the loss on four hits.

FOR THE TRAILBLAZERS

• Nick DeSanti was 2-for-4.
• Jonathan Parker scored three runs.
• Five pitchers combined to throw the seven innings. The winning pitcher was Frank Rickus.

UP NEXT

• Olivet plays Springfield (Mass.) College tomorrow at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale. First pitch is at 9 a.m.