Baseball team swept by Calvin, 9-8 and 3-0

The Olivet College baseball team was swept by Calvin College in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) doubleheader today in Grand Rapids. In the first game, the Comets let an 8-0 lead slip away as the Knights rallied to score nine runs over the final three innings to pull out a 9-8 win. Calvin (10-16, 7-7 MIAA) won the nightcap, 3-0.

In the first game, Olivet (10-14, 4-11 MIAA) led 8-0 behind two runs in the first, third, fourth and fifth innings. The Knights began their rally with a five-run fifth inning. They scored three runs in the sixth and pushed across an unearned run in the seventh.

Offensively, seniors Nick McIntosh (Petoskey), Derek Ott (Kawkawlin/Bay City Western), Nate Rann (Laingsburg) and Chris Shelhart (Rolling Meadows, Ill./St. Viator) each had two hits. McIntosh and Rann drove in two runs a piece, while Ott and Shelhart each scored twice. Shelhart also had a RBI to raise his career total to 101 and is now only two RBI shy of breaking Scott Swearengin's (1994-97) all-time Olivet record.

Junior David Pembroke (Bay City/John Glenn) started on the mound and pitched four and two-thirds innings. He gave up five runs on four hits. In relief, junior Justin Creager (Grandville) allowed two runs in two-thirds innings of work. Sophomore Steven Oginsky (New Lothrop) was credited with the loss, yielding two runs in one and a third innings.

In the nightcap, the Knights scored one run in the first inning and two more runs in the third inning. Olivet was held to two hits, one each by Ott and senior B.J. Behnke (Charlotte). On the mound, junior Matt Emery (Glenco, Ontario/Regina) was tagged with the loss. In six innings, he allowed six hits and three runs, while striking out four.

The Comets concludes the four-game MIAA series against the Knights with a doubleheader Saturday in Olivet, beginning at 1 p.m.