Baseball team splits doubleheader at Calvin

The Olivet College baseball team split a doubleheader with Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) foe Calvin College today in Grand Rapids. The Comets won the first game, 8-6, and lost the nightcap, 1-0. The win in the opener snapped a nine-game losing streak.

In the first game, Olivet (8-21, 5-15 MIAA) scored one run in the first inning and three runs in both the third and fourth innings. The Knights (14-18, 12-8 MIAA) answered with three runs in their half of the fourth and two more in the sixth. Senior Nick McIntosh (Petoskey) gave the Comets a two-run lead with a solo homer to lead off the seventh. Calvin did not go down quietly in the seventh, scoring one run and leaving a runner on second and third base with one out. Back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat.

At the plate, McIntosh, senior Eddie Jones (Warren/St. Clement) and sophomore Eric Quinn (Fort Gratiot/Port Huron Northern) each collected two hits. McIntosh had three RBI and senior Jonathon Van Son (Macomb/H.W. Notre Dame) drove in two. On the mound, junior Brad Dragicevich (Kalamazoo/Central) earned the win, yielding six runs on nine hits in seven innings. Only one run was earned.

In the second game, Calvin scored its only run in the second inning. Two Olivet errors in the frame led to the unearned run. The Comets out-hit the Knights, 6-4. McIntosh and freshman Scott Purdy (Traverse City/West) tallied two hits a piece. On the mound, junior Elliot Wilcox (Mattawan) was the hard luck loser. He pitched six innings and struck out four.

Olivet is back in action Wednesday, April 26, when it plays against Tri-State (Ind.) University. The MIAA doubleheader is being played at C.O. Brown Stadium in Battle Creek at 3:30 p.m. The stadium is the home field for the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays.