Softball team swept at Saint Mary’s, 5-2 and 6-3

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Olivet College softball team was swept in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) doubleheader this afternoon at Saint Mary's (Ind.) College. The Comets lost 5-2 and 6-3.

Final Score: Saint Mary's 5, Olivet 2; Saint Mary's 6, Olivet 3
Location: Purcell Athletic Field; Notre Dame, Ind.
Records: Saint Mary's 5-12 overall, 2-0 MIAA; Olivet 12-10 overall, 1-3 MIAA

• The Belles plated two runs in the third and three runs in the fifth to take a 5-0 lead.
• The Comets got two runs back in the sixth inning on a two-run home run by junior Jazmin Hildebrand.
• Olivet brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh inning but failed to score any runs.

• Olivet finished the game with just four hits.
• Senior Andrea Rico had two hits.
• In the circle, junior Gracie Boyle was credited with the loss after allowing all five runs on 10 hits.

• Eight of nine players had at least one hit, with three posting a multi-hit game.
• Mandi Hettinger, JoAnna Keilman and Sydney Swartz each went 2-for-3.
• Swartz drove in two runs.
• Zoe Bruni threw the complete game, four-hitter. She struck out nine and walked four batters.

• Due to conference rules, Saint Mary's batted in the top of first inning and pushed across a pair of runs.
• The Comets manufactured two runs to tie the game in the bottom half of the first. Junior Payton Watson led off with a single, went to second on a sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on senior Kinslea Blouin's infield single. After Blouin stole second base, a passed ball allowed Watson to score and Blouin to move up to third base. Hildebrand lined an RBI-single into center field to plate Blouin with the tying run.
• The Belles scored the go-ahead run in the second inning stretched their lead to 6-0 with a three-run third inning.
• Olivet pushed across one run and left the bases loaded in the fifth inning.

• Olivet recorded 11 hits, all singles, in the contest.
• Blouin was 3-for-4.
• Watson, Hildebrand and junior Taylor Shellenberger each had two hits.
• Freshman Danielle Erickson was tagged with the pitching loss after giving up six earned runs on seven hits over two and one-third innings.
• Shellenberger threw four and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief.

• Saint Mary's tallied 13 hits.
• Keilman, Alison Alberts, Krystal Harris and Alyssa Gutierrez all went 2-for-4.
• Keilman drove in three runs.
• Alberts had two RBI and hit a home run.
• Mandi Hettinger was the winning pitcher in relief of starter Hailey Hisaw. Hettinger tossed the final six innings and gave up one run on seven hits. Hisaw pitched only the first inning and allowed two runs on four hits.

• The Comets host Alma College tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m.