Baseball team sweeps doubleheader with Kalamazoo, 8-0 and 4-1

The Olivet College baseball team opened its Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) schedule by sweeping a doubleheader from Kalamazoo College this afternoon in Olivet. Behind a complete game pitching performance by senior Brad Dragicevich (Kalamazoo/Central), the Comets won game one, 8-0. In the nightcap, senior Elliot Wilcox (Mattawan) pitched six innings as Olivet won, 4-1.

In the first game, the Comets (8-2, 2-0 MIAA) scored one run in the first inning, two more in the second and fourth innings and closed the scoring a three-run fifth inning. Seniors B.J. Behnke (Charlotte), Nate Rann (Laingsburg) and Chris Shelhart (Rolling Meadows, Ill./St. Viator) each had two hits. Behnke and Shelhart had the lone extra base hits as each had a double. Rann scored two runs, while Shelhart and sophomore Rob Swanson (Marshall) drove in two runs a piece.

Dragicevich gave up three hits, faced only four batters more than the minimum and allowed only one runner to reach third base. He also struck out six and walked one.

In the nightcap, the Comets scored their four runs in the third inning, while the Hornets (3-7, 0-2 MIAA) scored its run in the sixth inning. At the plate, Olivet had five hits, including doubles by sophomore Cody Goodell (Davison), junior Michael Katlin (Howell) and senior Nick McIntosh (Petoskey). The other two hits were singles. Goodell, Shelhart and senior Sean Howard (Charlotte/Potterville) each had one RBI.

On the mound, Wilcox yielded five hits, walked one and struck out two in six innings. Sophomore Steven Oginsky (New Lothrop) pitched the seventh inning to earn his second save on the season.

The two teams will wrap-up their four-game MIAA series with a doubleheader tomorrow, beginning at 1 p.m. in Olivet.