Dominant pitching leads softball team to shutout wins over Wilmington and Bridgewater State

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Backed by dominating complete game pitching performances from juniors Carrie Chamberlain and Ashlynn Grubb, the Olivet College softball team won two games today at the Gene Cusic Classic and inside the CenturyLInk Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Florida. Grubb allowed six hits and struck out eight batters, as the Comets blanked Wilmington (Ohio) College, 3-0. Chamberlain surrendered just two hits, as Olivet shutout Bridgewater State (Mass.) University, 8-0.

The game against Wilmington was a pitcher's duel for the first five innings. The Comets left two runners stranded on the bases over the first five innings, while the Quakers had seven runners stranded, including leaving the bases full of runners in the fourth inning.

Olivet dented the scoreboard for the first time in the sixth inning. Junior Taylor Smith lined a double down the leftfield line for a ground-rule double. Sophomore Olivia Peraino entered the game as a pinch runner. Junior Kelsey Scheenks executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance Peraino to third base.

Grubb laced the first pitch to her into the center field for a double to score Peraino. Sophomore Haley Reed ran for Grubb, and scored on an RBI-single by sophomore Larissa Ludwick.

The Comets capped their scoring with a single tally in the top half of the seventh inning. Senior Sydney Tharp reached on a throwing error by the Wilmington shortstop. After junior Molly Renfroe advanced Tharp to second with a sacrifice bunt, freshman Hannah Hoover was inserted into the lineup as a pinch runner. Following an out, Smith ripped a 0-1 pitch into left field to plate Hoover.

The Quakers brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh but a pop out ended their threat.

At the plate, Olivet recorded five hits, including two for Smith. Grubb, Ludwick and Tharp each had one. Grubb threw 104 pitches to gain pitching win. With her eight punch-outs, she is now second all-time in Olivet history with 291 strikeouts.

The Comets wasted no time in taking a lead against Bridgewater State, as they scored a run in the top half of the first inning. Three straight singles by Scheenks, Grubb and Ludwick loaded the bases. Sophomore Konnor Geiger hit a ball not far in front of the plate. The catcher threw to first for the out, allowing Scheenks to cross the plate with the run.

Olivet needed only one hit to plate two runs in the second inning. Peraino walked to start the frame. Freshman Kristen Gressley bunted the ball, and the first baseman threw the ball high to first base for an error and put two runners on base. Reed advanced them both up one base with a sac bunt. Smith then roped a double into center field to score Peraino and Gressley.

In the fourth inning, the Comets scored two unearned runs to make the score 5-0. Olivet finished its scoring with a three-run seventh inning. Scheenks reached base on a fielding error and came around to score on Grubb's double down the left field line.

Sophomore Katie Ordiway came into run for Grubb. Ludwick struck out swinging but got on base on a wild pitch, which also allowed Ordiway to move to third base. Hoover ran for Ludwick. Back-to-back wild pitches helped Ordiway and Hoover cross the plate.

Chamberlain threw only five pitches to retire the Bears 1-2-3 in the seventh inning.

For the game, Olivet had eight base hits. Smith and Scheenks were both 2-for-4, and Smith drove in three runs. Scheenks also had two hits. Chamberlain tossed 70 pitches in earning her first pitching win in a Comet uniform. Both hits she allowed came in the fourth inning. Bridgewater State loaded the bases, but her only strikeout in the game ended the inning.

After a day off tomorrow, Olivet will play Rockford (Ill.) University and Dominican (Ill.) University Tuesday morning, starting at 9 a.m. Both games will be at the North Collier Regional Park in Naples, Florida.