Baseball team swept by MIAA rival Albion, 7-4 and 11-3

The Olivet College baseball team was swept by Albion College today in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) doubleheader in Olivet. The Britons (9-8-1, 5-1 MIAA) won by scores of 7-4 in eight innings and 11-3.

Game one was a pitcher's duel for the first four innings. The Comets (5-10, 2-4 MIAA) got on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the fourth. Senior Jonathon Van Son (Macomb/H.W. Notre Dame) led off with a single to centerfield and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Scott Purdy (Traverse City/West). He came around to score when the Albion second baseman threw the ball away on a hit ball by freshman Cody Goodell (Davison). Sophomore Michael Katlin (Howell) hit a single to plate Goodell .

The Britons answered with three unearned runs in the top half of the sixth inning. Olivet took a 4-3 lead with two runs in its half of the sixth. With one out, junior Chris Shelhart (Rolling Meadows, Ill./St. Viator) walked and moved to third on a double by junior Nick McIntosh (Petoskey). Van Son lined a double to the right centerfield gap to score both runners.

Albion forced extra innings with an unearned run in the seventh. A three-run home run by Nate Landoski gave the Britons the win.

At the plate, the Comets were held to four hits, including two by Van Son. Katlin and McIntosh each had a hit. In relief, junior Elliot Wilcox (Mattawan) was charged with the loss. He pitched one and two-thirds innings, allowing four hits and four runs. Freshman Mark Sherrod (Jackson) started the game, yielding two hits and three runs in six innings.

In the nightcap, Olivet tallied singles runs in the first, second and fourth innings. The Britons scored six runs in the second and five in the seventh.

Senior Stan Cieslak (Troy/Avondale) scored the Comets' first-inning run. After reaching base on a fielder's choice, two wild pitches and a groundout brought him around. Katlin had the run in the second inning. He walked to lead off the inning, advanced to second and third on two straight hits and scored on a sacrifice fly by Shelhart. Freshman Brian St. Hilaire (Grosse Pointe Woods/North) scored Olivet's last run. He singled to centerfield, moved to second on a balk, advanced to third on a base hit and scored on another balk.

For the game, senior Drew Benoit (Climax-Scotts) was three-for-four. St. Hilaire and Van Son collected two hits a piece. On the mound, freshman Brian Rogers (Coloma) suffered the loss. He started and pitched one and one-third innings. He allowed four hits and six runs. In relief, sophomore Ed O'Brien (Stockbridge) tossed four and two-thirds innings, giving-up five hits and three runs.

Olivet will complete the home and home series Saturday, April 1, when it travels to play Albion at 1 p.m.