Softball team opens Spring Break trip with wins over Simpson and Lancaster Bible

LEESBURG, Fla. – The Olivet College softball team opened its spring break trip to The Spring Games with two wins at the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex in Leesburg, Florida. The Comets scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to beat Simpson (Iowa) College, 6-3. Olivet then defeated Lancaster Bible (Pa.) College, 16-5, in five innings.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Olivet 6, Simpson 3
Location: Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex; Leesburg, Fla.
Records: Simpson 10-3 overall, Olivet 3-2 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Storm took a 3-0 lead behind a single run in the second inning and two runs in the third inning.
• Olivet got one back in the home half of the third inning. With two runners in scoring position, junior Andrea Rico reached on an infield single to score freshman Kayla Blett. An error allowed the Comets to score their second run in the fifth inning.
• In the sixth inning, Olivet scored its four runs after two outs were recorded. Freshman Erin Scanlon walked and came around to score the tying run when Blett hit a double to left field. After a pitching change, senior Konnor Geiger hit a pinch-hit, two-run home run. Sophomore Courtney Willson followed with a solo home run.
• The Storm left one runner on base in the top half of the seventh.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet had nine hits, including a 3-for-3 performance by Blett. She also scored three runs.
• Rico was 2-for-4.
• Sophomore Gracie Boyle earned the pitching win. She allowed three earned runs on six hits in the complete game effort.

FOR THE STORM

• Madison Rasmusson tallied two of the six Simpson hits.
• Emily Bell started in the circle and gave up one run on three hits in four innings.
• Three relievers combined to throw the final two innings. Mary Leopold was tagged with the loss.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Olivet 16, Lancaster Bible 5
Location: Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex; Leesburg, Fla.
Records: Lancaster Bible 2-4 overall, Olivet 4-2 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Comets sent nine batters to the plate and scored four runs in the first inning.
• Olivet plated four more runs in the second inning. The big hit of the inning was a three-run home run by Geiger.
• In the third inning, the Comets batted around and pushed across six runs.
• The Comets capped their scoring with two runs in the fifth inning to make the score 16-0.
• The Chargers scored five runs in the top half of the fifth inning but it was not enough to prevent the eight-run mercy ending.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet recorded a season-high 21 hits in the victory.
• Blett was 3-for-3 with two doubles and three runs scored.
• Geiger collected three hits, three runs and four RBI.
• Sophomore Kinslea Blouin and freshman Danielle McCoy each had three hits. Blouin's hits were a single, double and triple.
• McCoy drove in three runs.
• In the circle, sophomore Taylor Shellenberger picked-up the win. She allowed one hit and struck out nine in four innings. Sophomore Brianna Sevcech tossed two-thirds of an inning, and yielded one earned run on two hits. Boyle recorded the final out.

FOR THE CHARGERS

• Four players each had a base hit, and all four hits were singles.
• Nicole Dekok suffered the pitching loss after surrendering 14 runs (10 earned) on 18 hits.

UP NEXT

• Olivet returns to the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex tomorrow afternoon for games against Mount St. Joseph (Ohio) University at 2 p.m. and Stevenson (Md.) University at approximately 4:30 p.m.