Baseball team falls to Adrian, 5-4 in MIAA-opener

The baseball team opened its 2005 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) schedule with a 5-4 loss to Adrian College this afternoon in Olivet. The two teams will play two seven-inning games tomorrow, starting at 1 p.m.

The Bulldogs (9-6, 1-0 MIAA) tallied a run in the first inning, two runs in the second and one run in the third to take a 4-0 lead. The Fighting Comets (8-5, 0-1 MIAA) made the score 4-2 in their half of the third inning when sophomore Chris Shelhart (Rolling Meadows, Ill./St. Viator) hit a double to score Drew Benoit (Climax-Scotts) and Dustin Bolt (St. Joseph).

Adrian answered with an unearned run in the fifth inning. Junior James Melvin (Redford Thurston) scored in the eighth inning on a RBI single by junior Chip Paddock (Galesburg Augusta). In the ninth inning, Shelhart hit a two-out solo home run off the scoreboard in the leftfield to make the score 5-4.

For the game, the Comets had 10 base hits with Paddock and Shelhart collecting three apiece. On the mound, junior Blake Dunseth (Olivet/Coldwater) was tagged with the loss. He started and pitched three innings, allowing six hits and four hits.

At the plate, Tony Venekotter was four-for-five for the Bulldogs. Craig Reynolds earned the win after pitching six innings. He allowed six hits and struck out seven. Jeff Nokovich recorded the final out of the game to pick-up the save.

Following tomorrow's doubleheader, Olivet will face Concordia University in a non-league nine-inning game Tuesday, March 29, at 3 p.m.