Baseball team splits doubleheader at Hope

The Olivet College baseball team split a doubleheader with Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Hope College this afternoon at Buys Field in Holland. The Comets won the first game, 1-0, and the Flying Dutchmen took the nightcap, 7-0. With the split, Hope clinched an outright MIAA championship.

In the first game, Olivet (14-25, 8-20 MIAA) scored the only run in the fifth inning. Senior Sean Howard (Charlotte/Potterville) led off the inning with a walk. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Matt Smoker (Bronson). Back-to-back walks to senior Chris Shelhart (Rolling Meadows, Ill./St. Viator) and sophomore Rob Swanson (Marshall) loaded the bases. After a pitching change for Hope, a groundout by senior Nick McIntosh (Petoskey) allowed Howard to cross the plate. In the bottom half of the seventh, the Dutchmen (28-11, 22-6 MIAA) had the game-tying run on third base with one out, but a groundout and flyout ended their threat.

At the plate, the Comets had only four hits, one each by McIntosh, Shelhart, sophomore Scott Purdy (Traverse City/West) and junior Eric Quinn (Fort Gratiot/Port Huron Northern). Shelhart reached base three times in four plate appearances. On the mound, junior Dave Pembroke (Bay City/John Glenn) pitched a complete game, six-hitter to earn the victory. He struck out two and walked one.

In the nightcap, Hope took advantage of two Olivet errors to score two runs in the first inning. The Dutchmen added three runs in the second inning and closed the scoring with a two-run third inning. Olivet managed only three hits, singles by Howard, Shelhart and junior Michael Katlin (Howell). Senior Brian Schaeffer (Mason) was credited with the loss, tossing two-thirds of an inning. He yielded two unearned runs off two walks. Four relievers combined to give up five runs on eight hits.

The Comets will wrap-up the 2007 season Wednesday, April 9, when they travel to play Western Michigan University at 3 p.m.