Baseball team splits doubleheader against Adrian

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team split a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) doubleheader against Adrian College today at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. The Bulldogs won the first game 15-3 before the Comets salvaged the split in the doubleheader and a win in the conference series by winning the nightcap, 4-2.

THE BASICS
Final Scores: Adrian 15, Olivet 3; Olivet 4, Adrian 2
Location: Cutler Athletic Complex; Olivet, Mich.
Records: Adrian 8-5 overall, 3-1 MIAA; Olivet 4-12 overall, 1-3 MIAA

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME ONE)

• After the Bulldogs took a 3-0 lead, the Comets scored two runs in the bottom half of the second to make the score 3-2.
• Adrian extended its lead to 10-2 with three runs in the third and four runs in the fourth.
• Olivet got one run back in the home half of the fourth.
• The Bulldogs capped their scoring with two runs in the fifth and three runs in the sixth.

FOR THE COMETS

• At the plate, Olivet recorded six hits.
• Senior Austin Cleaver went 2-for-4, while senior Andrew Dayfield was 2-for-3 with two RBI.
• Freshman Aaron Gillespie was charged with the pitching loss. He gave up eight runs, four earned, on nine hits in 3.1 innings.

FOR THE BULLDOGS

• At the plate, Adrian totaled 17 hits, with five players recording two or more hits.
• Miccoy Drzewiecki was 4-for-5 with four singles and four RBI.
• Ryan Dorow collected three hits, including two doubles, and scored four runs.
• Gunner Rainey finished 3-for-3 with three runs scored.
• Ian Mikowski and Tristin Richardson each had two hits.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME TWO)

• The Comets took the early 1-0 lead with a run in the first inning. Cleaver led off with a single, hustled to third base on a ground out and scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Gary Tompkins III.
• In the third inning, Olivet pushed across two runs to stretch its lead to 3-0. Tompkins III doubled off the fence in left field and came around to score in junior Aiden Holliday's single. After the second out was recorded, junior Colton Dawdy hit a single to advance Holliday to second. Freshman Matt Rehfeldt lined the first pitch of his at-bat to the right-center field alley to score Holliday.
• The Comets plated their final run in the fourth.
• With one out in the fifth, Adrian had the bases loaded but Olivet got out of the jam when Dorow grounded into a double play.
• The Bulldogs cut their deficit in half with a pair of runs in the top half of the sixth.
• Adrian left three runners on base in the seventh.
• Before the Comets could come to bat in the home half of the seventh, the umpires called the game due to darkness.

FOR THE COMETS

• On the mound, freshman Zac Walter surrendered two earned runs on seven hits over 5.2 innings to improve his season record to 2-0.
• Senior Brady Johnson picked-up his second save of the season.
• At the plate, Olivet out-hit Adrian, 11-10.
• Rehfeldt was 3-for-3 with a double and two singles.
• Cleaver collected three hits in four at-bats.
• Junior Connor Murney reached base safely in each of his three plate appearances, twice on base hits and once on a walk.

FOR THE BULLDOGS

• Milkowski and Frank Resto were both 3-for-3.
• Hunter Hayes had two hits.
• Trevor Stephens was the losing pitcher after yielding three runs on seven hits in three innings.
• Spencer Ford tossed three innings of relief.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORES

• With the win in game two, Olivet snapped a 46-game losing streak to the Bulldogs. The last time the Comets beat Adrian was 5-2 on April 5, 2006. 
• The win also stopped a 20-game losing streak against MIAA opponents.

UP NEXT

• The Comets play Trine (Ind.) University in their next MIAA series. The first two games are Saturday at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet, and the final two games are Sunday at Trine's Jannen Field. Both doubleheaders start at 1 p.m.