Baseball team drops 11-5 decision at Tri-State

The baseball team dropped an 11-5 decision at Tri-State (Ind.) University today in the first game of a weekend Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) in Angola, Indiana. The teams will play two seven-inning games tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m.

Tri-State (6-10, 2-2 MIAA) got off to a fast start with six runs in the first inning. The Fighting Comets (9-8, 1-3 MIAA) scored its first run in the second inning on a two-out solo home run by junior Stan Cieslak (Troy Avondale). Olivet added another run when sophomore Nick McIntosh (Petoskey) hit a home run to lead off the fourth inning.

The Thunder put the game out of reach with a five-run sixth inning. The Comets tallied three runs in the ninth inning. Senior Chris Stambek (Decatur) scored on a double by sophomore Sean Howard (Charlotte/Potterville). Sophomore Derek Ott (Kawkawlin/Bay City Western) hit a RBI-single to score Howard and junior Jonathon VanSon (Macomb/Notre Dame, H.W.).

At the plate, Olivet was held to nine hits including two by Ott. Seven different players each had a hit. Five players scored a run apiece. On the mound, sophomore Brian Schaeffer (Mason) suffered the loss. He pitched two-thirds of an inning and allowed the six first-inning runs. Senior Dustin Bolt (St. Joseph), sophomore Brad Dragicevich (Kalamazoo/Central) and junior Blake Dunseth (Olivet/Coldwater) all pitched in relief.

Following tomorrow's games, Olivet will idle until next Friday-Saturday, April 8-9, when it hosts Alma College in a MIAA series.