Baseball team concludes Spring Break trip with doubleheader sweep against Utica

AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The Olivet College baseball team concluded its Spring Break trip to the RussMatt Invitational today by sweeping a doubleheader from Utica (N.Y.) College at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale, Florida. In the opener, junior Michael O'Brien hit a three-run walk-off home run to lift the Comets to an 8-5 win. In the nightcap, junior Aiden Holliday drove in five runs to help Olivet beat the Pioneers, 10-3.

THE BASICS
Final Scores: Olivet 8, Utica 5; Olivet 10, Utica 3
Location: Lake Myrtle Park; Auburndale, Fla.
Records: Utica 4-6 overall, Olivet 3-9 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME ONE)

• Utica hit back-to-back doubles in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.
• After leaving the bases loaded in their half of the first, the Comets did not in the second inning, as freshman Aaron Gillespie hit a grand slam home run.
• The Pioneers got one back in the fourth inning and two runs in fifth innings to even the score 4-4.
• Olivet took the lead back 5-4 in the sixth inning after sophomore Gary Tompkins III hit an RBI-double.
• Utica scored a run in the top half of the seventh to force extra innings.
• Sophomore Travis Petts led off the Comets' half of the seventh with a double. Freshman Alex Parthum flew out to centerfield, allowing Petts to tag up and move to third base. Sophomore Bronson Warren entered the game as a pinch hitter and was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners. O'Brien then launched a full-count pitch over the fence in right field for the walk-off win.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet recorded 10 hits in the win.
• Gillespie and Tompkins III were both one hit shy of hitting for the cycle. Gillespie had a single, double and home run to go along with four RBI. Tompkins III had a single, double and triple.
• O'Brien collected two hits, two runs scored and three RBI.
• Holliday was the starting pitcher. He allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits in six innings.
• Freshman Kyle Till retired the only batter he faced in the seventh.
• Senior Andrew Dayfield earned the pitching win.

FOR THE PIONEERS

• Utica totaled eight hits, including three apiece for Tom Carrigan and Tim Quinlan.
• Quinlan had a team-best three RBI.
• Noah Martin suffered the pitching loss.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME TWO)

• The Comets wasted no time in taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
• Olivet stretched its lead to 6-0 with a five-run third inning. Holliday and Parthum both had two-run doubles in the inning.
• The Comets added three more runs in the fourth inning on another two-run double for Holliday and an RBI-triple by Tompkins III.
• Utica plated three runs in its half of the fourth to make the score 9-3.
• Olivet scored its final run in the sixth inning.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet tallied 11 hits.
• Four players had multi-hits, led by Gillespie going 3-for-4 with three runs scored.
• Holliday, Petts and Tompkins III each had two hits.
• Holliday drove in five runs. 
• On the mound, Gillespie yielded three runs on five hits, while striking out five and not walking a batter.
• Senior Cam Hendrickson, junior Austin Hickey and freshman Huston Snyder all tossed a scoreless inning of relief.

FOR THE PIONEERS

• At the plate, Tom Carrigan and JT Ross both went 2-for-4. Carrigan had two singles, while Ross had a double and a single.
• Kolbie Glionna was tagged with the loss. He gave up nine runs (six earned) in three and two-third innings.
• Two relievers finished the game, and combined to allow one run on two hits, with five strikeouts.

UP NEXT

• Olivet is off until next Saturday and Sunday, March 25-26, when it opens Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association play against Adrian College. Saturday's games are scheduled to be played at Adrian's Nicolay Field, and Sunday's games are at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. First pitch from game one of both doubleheaders is slated for 1 p.m.