Softball team splits first two games at The Spring Games

LEESBURG, Fla. – The Olivet College softball team started its spring break trip to The Spring Games by splitting two games at the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex in Leesburg, Florida. The Comets lost their first game 5-1 to University of Massachusetts Boston. Olivet then rallied to beat Wittenberg (Ohio) University, 6-5, in eight innings.

Final Score: Mass. Boston 5, Olivet 1
Location: Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex; Leesburg, Fla.
Records: Mass.-Boston 2-0 overall, Olivet 0-3 overall

• The Beacons pushed across a run in the second inning and four more runs in the third inning.
• Olivet scored its only run in the sixth inning.

• Olivet was held to just seven hits, including two for freshman Kaylee Clothier.
• The only extra base hits were by Clothier and freshman Dayoni Mahlich.
• Senior Andrea Rico started in the circle and lasted only two and one-third innings. She suffered the loss after giving up four runs on six hits.
• Freshman Danielle Erickson tossed three and two-thirds innings of relief. She yielded one run on four hits.

• Roxanne Vento and Giovanna Bonilla each went 2-for-2.
• Hayley Catania earned the pitching win. She allowed just the one run over seven hits over six innings.
• Jayla Blackmon threw a hitless inning of relief.

Final Score: Olivet 6, Wittenberg 5 (8)
Location: Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex; Leesburg, Fla.
Records: Wittenberg 2-8 overall, Olivet 1-3 overall

• Wittenberg tallied single runs in the first, third and fourth innings to take a 3-0 lead.
• The Comets loaded the bases in the home half of the fourth inning. Senior Kinslea Blouin lined a single into centerfield to score two runs.
• The Tigers plated a pair of runs in the sixth inning on a two-out, two-run double.
• Olivet pushed across three runs in the bottom half of the seventh inning to send the game to extra innings.
• In the eighth inning, a runner is automatically placed on second base because of the international tiebreaker. In the top half of the inning, Wittenberg's first batter was called out for making contact with the ball out of the box. The next batter popped out and the third batter grounded out.
• Senior Danielle McCoy was placed on second base to start the Comets' eighth inning. Junior Payton Watson sacrificed her to third base. Freshman Danielle Erickson roped a 2-0 pitch into right field to score McCoy with the winning run.

• Olivet recorded six hits. The only multi-hit performance was by Rico who had two singles.
• Blouin drove in two runs.
• Junior Gracie Boyle went the distance in the circle. She yielded five runs (two earned) on eight hits, and walked two and struck out two.

• Megan Niswonger had two hits and two RBI.
• Victoria Toetz also tallied two hits.
• Katelyn Niswonger allowed five runs (three earned) on five hits over the first six and one-third innings.
• Mary Britton was the losing pitcher after allowing a run in an inning of relief.

• Olivet heads to the Minneola Athletic Complex tomorrow to play Keene State (N.H.) College at 4:15 p.m. and Salve Regina (R.I.) University at 6:30 p.m.