Softball team defeats Newbury and Wisconsin Lutheran in Sunshine State

LEESBURG, Fla. – The Olivet College softball team won two games at The Spring Games today at the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex in Leesburg, Florida. In their first game, the Comets beat Newbury (Mass.) College, 9-3. In the second game, junior Gracie Boyle threw a complete game, two-hitter in a 1-0 pitchers' duel victory over Wisconsin Lutheran College.

Final Score: Olivet 9, Newbury 3
Location: Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex; Leesburg, Fla.
Records: Newbury 0-5 overall, Olivet 3-4 overall

• The Comets wasted no time in taking the lead, as they plated four runs in the bottom half of the first inning. With runners on second and third, freshman Kaylee Clothier hit a bouncer over the third baseman's head and into left field to score both runs. After a hit by pitch to load the bases, junior Taylor Shellenberger brought home another run with an RBI-single. Following an out at the plate to re-load the bases, sophomore Erin Scallon was hit by a pitch to bring home the fourth run.
• The Nighthawks loaded the bases in the fourth inning. A two-run single brought in two runs, and a sacrifice fly plated the third run.
• Olivet broke the game open with a five-run fifth inning. Driving in runs were Scanlon, and seniors Kinslea Blouin and Andrea Rico. Blouin's hit was a two-run double.

• At the plate, Olivet recorded nine total hits.
• Blouin tallied two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored.
• Clothier had two hits and two RBI.
• Scanlon drove in a pair of runs.
• Junior Jazmin Hildebrand walked twice and hit a double.
• Freshman Danielle Erickson earned her first collegiate pitching win. She tossed the first four innings and gave up the three runs on six hits.
• Boyle threw three scoreless innings of relief to pick-up the save.

• Noelle Sass and Alexis Vieria each collected two hits.
• Vieria had two RBI.
• Hannah Besaw tossed three and two-thirds innings to be credited with the loss. She surrendered four runs on six hits.

Final Score: Olivet 1, Wisconsin Lutheran 0
Location: Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex; Leesburg, Fla.
Records: Wisconsin Lutheran 5-1 overall, Olivet 4-4 overall

• The game was an "old-fashioned" pitchers' duel between Boyle and Abby Mahsem.
• Boyle did not allow a base runner past second base for the entire game.
• Mahsem retired 12 of the first 13 batters she faced.
• The Comets scored the only run they would need in the fifth inning. Hildebrand led off with a single into left field. Freshman Dayoni Mahlich entered the game as a pinch runner. Shellenberger's perfectly-executed sacrifice bunt moved Mahlich to second base. After the second out was recorded, senior Danielle McCoy lined a single into center field to score Mahlich.

• McCoy registered two of the six Olivet hits.
• Boyle threw 76 pitches, 52 for strikes, to improve to 3-1 on the season in the circle. She struck out two and did not walk a batter.

• Kara Ritacco and Maddie Lindemann each had a hit.
• Mahsem was the hard-luck losing pitcher. She threw just 68 pitches, and struck out eight with no walks.

• Tomorrow, Olivet plays Mount St. Vincent (N.Y.) College at 9 a.m. and Juniata (Pa.) College at 11:15 a.m. at the Fortune Road Complex in Kissimmee, Florida.