Softball team sweeps doubleheader at Bluffton, 12-3 and 3-2

BLUFFTON, Ohio – The Olivet College softball team swept a non-conference doubleheader from Bluffton (Ohio) University today at the BU Softball Field in Bluffton, Ohio. The Comets won the first game, 12-3, in five innings and hung on to win the nightcap, 3-2.

Final Score: Olivet 12, Bluffton 3; Olivet 3, Bluffton 2
Location: BU Softball Field; Bluffton, Ohio
Records: Bluffton 4-14 overall, Olivet 11-7 overall

• The Comets led 2-0 after freshman Kaylee Clothier and junior Jazmin Hildebrand hit back-to-back RBI-doubles in the first inning.
• Olivet used a two-out rally to score a run in the second. Sophomore Erin Scanlon lined a single into left field and came all the way around to cross the plate on junior Payton Watson's double.
• The Comets doubled their lead with a three-run third inning. Senior Kinslea Blouin walked, stole second base and scored on Clothier's single. Junior Taylor Shellenberger singled to put runners on the corners. After she stole second base, senior Danielle McCoy hit a two-run single.
• The Beavers scored their lone run on a solo home run in their half of the third inning.
• Olivet plated four more runs in the fourth inning. Clothier drove in the first two runs, followed by an RBI-double by Shellenberger and an RBI-single by sophomore Kayla Blett.
• The Comets capped their scoring in the fifth inning when Blouin deposited a pitch over the fence in left-center field for a two-run home run.
• Bluffton pushed across two runs in the home half of the fifth inning but it was not enough to prevent the eight-run mercy rule from being enacted.

• Six players posted a multi-hit game.
• Clothier was 3-for-3 with a double, two runs and four RBI.
• Blett, McCoy, Scanlon, Shellenberger and Watson all went 2-for-3.
• Blouin and senior Andrea Rico each walked twice.
• Blouin scored a team-high three runs.
• In the circle, Rico was the winning pitcher after allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits over five innings.

• Four players each had one hit.
• Extra base hits was a home run by Sydney Brown and double by Riley Langstaff.
• Kelsey Reeder collected two RBI.
• Molly Bollinger was charged with the pitching loss after yielding five runs on eight hits over three innings.

• The Comets wasted no time in taking a 3-0 lead. Watson and freshman Dayoni Mahlich reached base on back-to-back hits, and Blouin hit a three-run home run in the first inning.
• The Beavers used four hits to score two runs in the second inning.
• In the fifth and seventh inning, Bluffton had the tying run on second base with only one out but failed to score the run.

• Olivet was held to just five hits, including two for Blouin.
• In the circle, junior Gracie Boyle threw the first four innings to earn the win. She gave up two runs on seven hits.
• Freshman Danielle Erickson picked-up her first collegiate save after tossing three scoreless innings of relief.

• Bluffton tallied 10 hits.
• Sydney Bowen and Courtney Jasinski each had two hits.
• Jasinski was the losing pitcher, as she surrendered the three runs on four hits over the first four innings. Katie McCord gave up one hit in three innings of relief.

• Blouin now has four home runs this season and 11 in her Olivet career. The 11 homers is tied for second all-time. The record is 13 by Kacey Darling from 2006-09.

• The Comets are scheduled to open Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association play Saturday when they host Adrian College. First pitch is at 1 p.m.