Softball team ends North Carolina trip with two losses
The Olivet College softball team ended its trip to the 2017 Grand Slam Triangle Classic in Cary, North Carolina with two losses this morning inside the Thomas Brooks Park. The Comets dropped a 17-7 decision to Salisbury (Md.) College and a seventh-inning rally fell short in a 7-6 loss to Greensboro (N.C.) College.
February 26, 2017
CARY, N.C. – The Olivet College softball team ended its trip to the 2017 Grand Slam Triangle Classic in Cary, North Carolina with two losses this morning inside the Thomas Brooks Park. The Comets dropped a 17-7 decision to Salisbury (Md.) College and a seventh-inning rally fell short in a 7-6 loss to Greensboro (N.C.) College.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Salisbury 17, Olivet 7 (5)
Location: Thomas Brooks Park; Cary, N.C.
Records: Piedmont 2-1, Olivet 1-4
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Sea Gulls led 6-0 behind two runs in the first inning and four more runs in the second inning.
- Olivet sent 11 batters to the plate and scored seven runs in the home half of the second. Three straight Comets – senior Carrie Chamberlain, junior Konnor Geiger and freshman Jazmin Hildebrand – hit singles to load the bases. Sophomore Dominique McKillop lined a double to score the first two runs, and senior Devon Mayse hit a sacrifice fly to score the third run and move McKillop to third base. An infield single off freshman Payton Watson's bat scored McKillop. Watson stole second and then went to third base when the ball got away from the catcher on a walk to sophomore Kristen Gressley. Gressley stole second base. After an out was recorded, freshman Taylor Shellenberger lined a double to the left-center gap to plate both runners. Chamberlain then had her second hit of the inning. On the play, the center fielder threw the ball away, allowing Shellenberger to score the go-ahead run.
- Salisbury responded by scoring 11 unanswered runs – four in the third, three in the fourth and four in the fifth – to enforce the mercy-rule ending.
FOR THE COMETS
- Olivet totaled 10 hits in the game, including two each for Chamberlain and McKillop.
- McKillop and Shellenberger had two RBI apiece.
- Chamberlain was the losing pitcher.
FOR THE SEA GULLS
- Salisbury collected 17 total hits, including four players having three hits each.
- Six players had multi-RBI games, including for by leadoff batter Leanne Collins.
- Caitlin Lake scored four runs.
- Shannon Powell picked-up the pitching win in relief.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Greensboro 7, Olivet 6
Location: Thomas Brooks Park; Cary, N.C.
Records: Greensboro 4-5, Olivet 1-5
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Pride took a 7-0 lead with a three-run first and four-run fourth. The four runs in the fourth were unearned after the Comets committed three errors in the inning.
- Olivet started its comeback in the fifth inning when McKillop hit a two-run home run.
- The Comets plated five runs in the seventh and left the tying and go-ahead runs stranded in scoring position. Freshman Haley Harty started off the inning by reaching on a throwing error. She stole second base before sophomore Hannah Hoover got on base when the catcher dropped a third strike and the ball went past the catcher. Harty went to third on the passed ball. Hoover stole second before McKillop grounded out to bring home Harty and advanced Hoover to third base. Another passed ball allowed Hoover to score. Freshman Courtney Willson struck out but reached base on a wild pitch. She stole second and went to third on another wild pitch. Senior Taylor Smith lined a single up the middle that deflected off the pitcher, allowing Willson to cross the plate. Shellenger hit a single to put Smith at second. Following a pitching change and an out being recorded, Geiger lined a single into right-center field to score Smith. On the throw into the infield, Geiger went to second base and Shellenberger to third base. A ground out ended the game.
FOR THE COMETS
- Olivet recorded 11 hits in the game.
- Sophomore Nikole Kern was 3-for-3, while Geiger went 3-for-4.
- McKillop had three RBI.
- Freshman Gracie Boyle suffered the pitching loss.
FOR THE PRIDE
- Greensboro registered nine hits.
- Melissa Garcia, Kaylee Johnson and Hayley Rumley collected two hits apiece.
- Rumley finished with a team-best two RBI.
- Three pitchers combined for the win in the circle. Hayley Trickle started and threw five innings to earn the win. Maddy Wetherholt got the final two outs in the seventh for the save.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORES
- Smith had at least one hit in each game during the trip. Combined with a five-game hit streak to end the 2016 season, she now has an 11-game hitting streak.
- Shellenbeger currently has a five-game hit streak.
- McKillop finished the trip with a team-leading nine RBI, while Shellenberger was second with five.
UP NEXT
- Olivet returns home to Michigan tonight and then prepares for its Spring Break trip to central Florida. In Florida, the Comets will play 10 total games. The first two are Saturday, March 11, against Anderson (Ind.) University at 8 a.m., and University of Mass.-Boston at 10:30 a.m. Both games are Hancock Park in Clermont, Florida.