Softball team splits Sunday games at Pioneer Classic

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Olivet College softball team split two games today at the Transylvania (Ky.) University Pioneer Classic and played at the John & Donna Hall Field in Lexington, Kentucky. The Comets routed LaGrange (Ga.) College, 14-1, in five innings before being shut out by the host school, 11-0.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Olivet 14, LaGrange 1 (5)
Location: John & Donna Hall Field; Lexington, Ky.
Records: LaGrange 2-11 overall, Olivet 2-1 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Comets wasted no time in taking the lead, as they scored two runs in the top half of the first inning. Sophomores Kinslea Blouin and Taylor Shellenberger hit RBI-singles.
• Olivet added to its lead with a two-run second inning. Senior Nikole Kern drove in the first run, and the second run scored as a result of an error by the Panther pitcher.
• LaGrange answered by scoring a run in its half of the second inning.
• In the third inning, the Comets pushed across four runs. With the bases loaded, sophomore Courtney Willson cleared the bases with a double. She came around to score on a double by Blouin.
• Olivet stretched its lead to 12-1 with a four-run fourth inning. Freshman Erin Scanlon lined a single into the left-center field to score sophomore Brianna Sevcech with the first run. A passed ball allowed junior Andrea Rico to score the second run. Kern's squeeze bunt plated sophomore Dominique McKillop and Willson's sacrifice fly scored Scanlon.
• The Comets capped their scoring with two runs in the top half of the fifth inning. Rico hit an RBI-single to score Blouin, and McKillop had an RBI-groundout to score Shellenberger.

FOR THE COMETS

• Eight of nine Olivet starters had at least one base hit, and all nine were on base at least once.
• Rico and Scanlon were both 3-for-4.
• Scanlon collected three RBI.
• Willson had two hits, a double and a triple, and drove in four runs.
• Also recording two hits apiece were Blouin and Shellenberger.
• In the circle, Rico picked-up the win. She scattered three hits and did not walk a batter over the five innings.

FOR THE PANTHERS

• Emily Barrs tallied two of three LaGrange hits.
• Three pitchers combined to throw the five innings. Chelsea Twardoski suffered the loss after yielding the first four runs in an inning. Jessica Perkins allowed eight runs on six hits in three innings. Emsley Smith tossed the final inning and gave up two runs on two hits.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Transylvania 11, Olivet 0 (6)
Location: John & Donna Hall Field; Lexington, Ky.
Records: Transylvania 2-1 overall, Olivet 2-2

HOW IT HAPPENED            

• The Pioneers scored one run in the first, two runs in the third, three runs in the fourth, one run in the fifth and four runs in the sixth inning to end the game early due to the eight-run mercy rule.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet was held to just two hits – singles by Rico in the fourth inning and sophomore Haley Harty in the fifth inning.
• Sophomore Gracie Boyle lasted three and one-third innings in the circle. She gave up four earned runs on eight hits. Freshman Julie O'Berry and sophomore Brianna Sevcech both allowed one earned run on two hits in relief.

FOR THE PIONEERS

• Shelbi Poehlein collected three of the 12 Transylvania hits. She also had two RBI.
• Nine other players each tallied a hit.
• Renae Morton earned the pitching win. She threw all five innings and struck out seven batters.

UP NEXT

• Olivet plays 10 games in Florida at The Spring Games. The Comets open play Saturday, March 10, against Simpson (Iowa) College at 3:30 p.m. and Lancaster Bible (Pa.) College at approximately 6 p.m. The games will be played at the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex in Leesburg, Florida.