Softball team loses twice to Trine, 6-2 and 5-4

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College softball team fell in both games of a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) doubleheader to nationally-ranked Trine (Ind.) University this afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. The Thunder won the first game, 6-2, and hung on to win the nightcap, 5-4.

Final Score: Trine 6, Olivet 2; Trine 5, Olivet 4
Location: Cutler Athletic Complex; Olivet, Mich.
Records: Trine 17-3 overall, 5-1 MIAA; Olivet 14-12 overall, 3-5 MIAA

• The first four innings was a pitchers' duel between Olivet junior Gracie Boyle and Trine's Hannah Kampmann.
• The Thunder used a five hits and sacrifice bunt to push across four runs in the top half of the fifth inning.
• The Comets got one run back in the home half of the fifth. Freshman Dayoni Mahlich reached first on a fielder's choice, stole second base and came around to score on sophomore Erin Scanlon's double to the right-center field gap.
• Trine scored two unearned runs in the sixth inning.
• Senior Kinslea Blouin blasted a solo home run in Olivet's half of the sixth. The home run broke Olivet's career record.

• Olivet was limited to five hits.
• Blouin had two hits, a triple and home run.
• Boyle was charged with the pitching loss. She allowed four runs on five hits, with two walks and three strikeouts, over five innings.
• Senior Andrea Rico gave up two unearned runs on four hits over the final two innings.

• Trine recorded nine hits.
• Lainey McCue and Michaela Hartline both went 2-for-4.
• Hartline scored two runs.
• Kampmann earned the complete game pitching win.

• Per conference rules, the Comets batted first in the top of each inning.
• Olivet scored two runs in the second inning. Junior Jazmin Hildebrand was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Sophomore Kassidy Zmikly came into the game as a pinch runner. On junior Taylor Shellenberger's bunt, the third baseman overthrew first base, and the ball went down into right field. Zmikly hustled around the bases and scored, and Shellenberger ended on third base. Freshman Danielle Erickson hit the ball to the shortstop. She elected to throw home but Shellenberger beat the throw to score the second run.
• Twice with the bases loaded in the last half of the second, the Thunder had two-run hits to go up 4-2.
• The Comets used back-to-back doubles by Rico and Blouin in the fifth inning to cut their deficit down to one run.
• Trine added another run in the bottom half of the fifth to re-gain a two-run lead, 5-3.
• Olivet scored a run in the sixth inning. Hildebrand singled and through the left side of the infield. She went to third on Shellenberger's double and crossed the plate on a wild pitch.

• Olivet tallied six hits, including doubles by Blouin, Rico and Shellenberger.
• Shellenberger was tagged with the pitching loss. She gave up four runs on four hits, with three walks, over an inning and two-thirds.
• Rico tossed three and one-third innings of relief, allowing a run on two hits.
• Boyle threw a scoreless inning.

• McCue had two of the seven Trine hits.
• Mercede Daugherty and Victoria Porter each drove in two runs.
• Kate Saupe was the winning pitcher.

• Blouin now has 14 career home runs. The previous record was 13 by Kacey Darling from 2006-09. Blouin is also on pace to shatter Olivet's career slugging percentage record. She is currently at .842, and the record is .616 by Beth Shunkwiler from 2004-05.

• The Comets continue their home-stand next Wednesday when Hope College visits the Cutler Athletic Complex for a doubleheader, starting at 3 p.m.