Baseball team splits doubleheader at MIAA rival Albion

ALBION, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team split a doubleheader against Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival today at Champions Stadium and on Frank Joranko Field in Albion. The Comets won the first game 5-4 before the Britons salvaged the split with an 11-6 victory in the nightcap.

Final Scores: Olivet 5, Albion 4; Albion 11, Olivet 6
Location: Champions Stadium; Albion, Mich.
Records: Albion 7-6 overall, 3-1 MIAA; Olivet 3-12 overall, 1-3 MIAA

• The Comets scored four runs in the top half of the second inning. Sophomore Bruce Allen hit an RBI-single, and a Briton throwing error on a pick-off attempt allowed the first two runs to score. Sophomore Ben Compton lined a single to score the final two runs.
• The Britons plated two runs in their half of the second. Albion added another run in the fourth to trim their deficit down to a run, 4-3. The Britons stranded runners at the corners in the inning.
• Olivet manufactured an insurance in the fifth inning. Junior Riley Bennett hit a leadoff double, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and came around to score on freshman Matt Hewitt's base hit.
• The first two batters reached base safely for Albion in the bottom of seventh. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. A pop-up was recorded for the second out before a balk brought home a run. A fly out to right field ended the game.

• Olivet had eight hits, including two for Bennett.
• Six other players each recorded a single.
• Freshman Zack Ostrowski started on the mound but did not factor in the decision. He gave up three runs on four hits over three and two-thirds innings.
• Junior Zac Walter allowed an earned run on four hits over two and one-third innings to be credited with the win.
• Junior Matt Rehfeldt pitched the seventh inning to earn the save.

• Kellen Huang and Riley Stesiak had two hits apiece.
• Drew Weaver was the losing pitcher after surrendering four runs on three hits in an inning and two-thirds.

• The Britons pushed across three runs in the first, two runs in the second and one run in the third to go up 6-0.
• The Comets answered with a five-run top half of the fourth inning. Bennett got things started with a leadoff walk. He stole second base and came around to score on senior Jake Robinson's double. A fly out moved Robinson to third base. Freshman Hayden Zimmerman found the left-center field gap for an RBI-single. Allen was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base. Sophomore Seamus Mitchell cleared the bases with a three-run home run just over the fence in left field.
• Albion responded with two runs in the home half of the fourth.
• Olivet plated another run in the fifth to make the score 8-6.
• The Britons capped the scoring with two runs in the sixth and one run in the seventh.

• At the plate, Bennett was 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored.
• Robinson hit two doubles and scored a run.
• Freshman Hunter Henson suffered the pitching loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits over the first inning and one-third.

• Joe Turnbull was 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI.
• Drew Olszewski also had three hits.
• Kellan Huang helped his own cause at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance. He also scored twice and drove in two runs.
• Sean Haddlesey scored three runs.
• Huang earned the pitching win despite giving up six earned runs on seven hits over the first five innings.
• David Kauff picked-up the save after tossing four innings, allowing zero runs and one hit.

• The Comets travel to Holland, Michigan, to play Hope College Thursday for the first two games of a MIAA series. First pitch for game one of the doubleheader is at 2 p.m.