Softball team ends Spring Break trip with wins over Smith and Wesleyan

CLERMONT, Fla. – The Olivet College softball team ended its Spring Break trip with wins over Smith (Mass.) College, 5-4, and Wesleyan (Conn.) University, 3-1, today at Hancock Park in Clermont, Florida. With the sweep, the Comets finish the trip with a 9-1 record to raise their overall record to 11-3.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Olivet 5, Smith 4
Location: Hancock Park; Clermont, Fla.
Records: Smith 2-8 overall, Olivet 10-3 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Pioneers took an early 2-0 lead on a two-run home run in the top half of the first inning.
• The Comets got one run back in the second inning when freshman Kayla Blett reached on an error and came around to score on freshman Erin Scanlon's triple.
• Smith responded in the top half of the third with a bases-loaded hit to bring in one run.
• Again, Olivet would get the run back in the bottom half of the inning. Sophomore Courtney Willson reached on an error, stole second base and came around to score on junior Andrea Rico's RBI-single.
• A Comet error allowed the Pioneers to extend their lead back to two runs, 4-2, in the fifth inning.
• Olivet evened the score in the home half of the fifth. Willson hit an infield single and advanced to second on a wild pitch before sophomore Kinslea Blouin blasted a two-run home run.
• Smith left the bases loaded in the sixth inning and left two runners on base in the seventh inning.
• The Comets walked-off with the victory in the bottom of seventh. Rico walked and Blouin singled to move Rico to second base. Senior Nikole Kern came into the game to run for Rico. A wild pitch moved the runners up one base. Blett lined a single into center field to score Kern with the winning run.

FOR THE COMETS

• Blouin and senior Konnor Geiger each had two hits in four plate appearances.
• Willson scored two runs.
• Blett had one hit, one RBI and one run.
• Sophomore Gracie Boyle started in the circle and allowed three runs on five hits over three innings.
• Freshman Julie O'Berry tossed two and two-thirds innings of relief, giving up the unearned run on two hits.
• Sophomore Taylor Shellenberger picked-up the win in one and one-third innings.

FOR THE PIONEERS

• Megan McGrath tallied two of the eight Smith hits.
• Tyler Feeney hit the two-run homer.
• Jessica Flohr was charged with the pitching loss after yielding the five runs on eight hits in six and two-thirds innings of work.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Olivet 3, Wesleyan 1
Location: Hancock Park; Clermont, Fla.
Records: Wesleyan 2-2 overall, Olivet 11-3 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Comets plated two runs in the second inning. Geiger was hit by a pitch and came around to score on Blett's double. Blett went to third on an error and scored on Shellenberger's RBI-single
• Another error on a batted ball by sophomore Dominique McKillop allowed Rico to score the third Olivet run in the fifth inning.
• The Cardinals pushed across an unearned run in the last half of the fifth inning.

FOR THE COMETS

• Blett, Blouin and Geiger tallied two hits apiece. Both hits for Blett were doubles.
• In the circle, Boyle threw a complete game, three-hitter and struck out four batters.

FOR THE CARDINALS

• Three players each had one hit.
• Julie McDonald suffered the pitching loss. She surrendered three runs (one earned) on five hits over five innings, while striking out seven and walking one.

UP NEXT

• The Comets are off until next Saturday and Sunday, March 24-25, when they participate in the North Park (Ill.) University Invitational. On Saturday, Olivet faces North Park at 1 p.m. ET, followed by a game against Simpson (Iowa) College. On Sunday, the Comets play Simpson at 2 p.m. ET, followed by a game against North Park.