Softball team opens MIAA play with 7-6 loss to Adrian, second game halted due to darkness

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College softball team started Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play by losing to Adrian College, 7-6, in 10 innings this afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. The Comets were leading the second game, 12-8, in the top of the seventh inning when the game was halted due to darkness.

Final Score: Adrian 7, Olivet 6 (10)
Location: Cutler Athletic Complex; Olivet, Mich.
Records: Adrian 13-8 overall, 1-0 MIAA; Olivet 11-8 overall, 0-1 MIAA

• There was no scoring until the fourth inning when the Comets scored a run. Junior Taylor Shellenberger reached base when the center fielder dropped the ball. A sacrifice bunt moved her to second, and she came round to score on freshman Dayoni Mahlich's two-out single into center field.
• In the fifth, the Bulldogs tied the game on a home run before using a fielder's choice, followed by three straight hits to score four more runs.
• Olivet got three runs back in its half of the fifth inning. Freshman Danielle Erickson scored on a triple by senior Kinslea Blouin. After a pitching change, freshman Kaylee Clothier hit an RBI-single to score Blouin. Shellenberger lined a double to the left-center gap to put two runners in scoring position. Junior Jazmin Hildebrand hit a sacrifice fly to score junior Courtney Willson who had entered the game as a pinch runner for Clothier.
• The Comets evened the score at 5-5 in the sixth inning. Mahlich led off with a single, stole second, advanced to third base on a passed ball and scored on junior Payton Watson's infield single.
• Both teams left runners stranded in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.
• With a runner on second base due to the international tiebreaker in the 10th inning, the Bulldogs took a 7-5 lead on a two-run home run by Destiny Rogers.
• Sophomore Paige Poulter was placed on second to start Olivet's half of the 10th. Sophomore Kaya Blett roped a double to left-center field to score Poulter. A sacrifice bunt advanced Blett to third base. A strikeout and fly out ended the game.

• Eight of nine Olivet starters had at least one hit.
• Mahlich was 3-for-4.
• The top three batters in the lineup – Watson, senior Andrea Rico and Blouin – each tallied two hits.
• Extra-base hits were by doubles by Watson, freshman Danielle Erickson, Shellenberger and Blett, and a triple by Blouin.
• Rico started in the circle but did not factor in the decision. She gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits over four and one-third innings.
• Erickson was the hard-luck loser, as she allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits over the final five and two-thirds innings.

• Adrian had 13 total hits, including three by Katie Connolly.
• Krista Lynch and Paige Cubberly each recorded two hits.
• Natalie Mathers threw seven and one-third total innings to earn the pitching win. She surrendered two runs (one earned) on 10 hits.
• Cubberly picked-up the save after getting the three outs in the 10th inning.

• Olivet took a 3-0 lead in the first inning. The big hit of the inning was a two-run homer by Clothier.
• Adrian then scored five runs in the third inning to go up 5-3.
• In the sixth inning, the Comets answered by sending 13 batters to the plate and scoring nine runs to take a 12-5 lead. Blouin hit her team-leading fifth home run of the season during the inning.
• The Bulldogs countered with three runs in the bottom half of the sixth.
• Before the seventh inning started, the umpires stopped the game due to darkness. A completion date for the game has not been determined.

• The Comets travel to play Saint Mary's (Ind.) College next Tuesday, April 2. First pitch from game one of the twinbill is at 3 p.m.