Softball team loses two close games to Baldwin Wallace, 3-1 and 5-4

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College softball team lost two close games to Baldwin Wallace (Ohio) University, 3-1 and 5-4, in a non-conference twinbill today at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet.

THE BASICS
Final Scores: Baldwin Wallace 3, Olivet 1; Baldwin Wallace 5, Olivet 4
Location: Cutler Athletic Complex; Olivet, Mich.
Records: Olivet 10-22 overall, Baldwin Wallace 12-17-1

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME ONE)

• Olivet scored a run in the bottom half of the third inning. Sophomore Dominique McKillop walked, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Olivia Peraino, advanced to third on freshman Payton Watson's base hit and scored on an RBI-single by sophomore Nikole Kern.
• The Comets loaded the bases in the bottom of fifth inning with one out but failed to score any runs.
• The Yellow Jackets used a two-out rally and took advantage of an Olivet throwing error to push across three unearned runs in the top half of the sixth inning.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet recorded five hits in the loss.
• Senior Carrie Chamberlain and freshman Courtney Willson each had a double.
• In the circle, Chamberlain was the losing pitcher after allowing the three unearned runs on five hits in five and two-thirds innings.
• Freshman Gracie Boyle finished the game in relief and threw the final inning and one-third.

FOR THE YELLOW JACKETS

• Sam Mott earned the pitching win after throwing the complete game, five-hitter. She struck out seven batters.
• Mott also helped her own cause at the plate, recording a two-run double.
• Sami Minor had two hits.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME TWO)

• BW manufactured two runs in the third inning. After back-to-back singles and a sac bunt, Mott brought both runners home with a sharply hit single into left-center field.
• In the bottom half of the third, Olivet filled the bases on two infield hits and a walk. The Yellow Jackets did not allow any runs after getting a lineout and double play to get out of the jam.
• BW plated three more runs in the fifth inning to extend its lead to 5-0.
• The Comets put together a two-out rally to score four runs in the home half of the fifth. Freshman Courtney Willson came around to score on a groundout by Kern. With the bases loaded, sophomore Jordan Jones hit the ball in the left-center field gap to score all three runners.

FOR THE COMETS

• Jones, freshman Jazmin Hildebrand and senior Taylor Smith each had two hits. Jones and Smith had a double and a single, while Hildebrand had a pair of singles.
• Jones drove in three runs. 
• Freshman Bekah VanDam started the game in the circle and gave up all five runs on 10 hits in four and two-thirds innings to be tagged with the loss.
• Boyle threw two and one-third innings of perfect relief.

FOR THE YELLOW JACKETS

• Alexis Boledovic, Erica English and Mackenzie Nelsen finished with two hits apiece.
• Alex Kosich scored two runs, while Mott drove in two runs.
• Despite allowing giving up the four runs on six hits, Nikki Turner earned the win in the circle. She fanned seven and walked four in four and two-thirds innings.
• Erica Morgan pitched an inning and one-third of relief.
• Mott threw the seventh inning for her first save of the season.

UP NEXT

• Olivet resumes Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play Thursday when it hosts Kalamazoo College. First pitch from game one of the doubleheader is slated for 3:30 p.m.