Baseball team defeats Alma, 10-4

The Olivet College baseball team evened its overall record to 9-9 and improved to 7-2 in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) with a 10-4 win over Alma College this afternoon at Klenk Park in Alma. The second game of the doubleheader was suspended because of the rain.

After Olivet scored an unearned run in the top half of the first, the Scots answered with two runs in their half of the first. The Comets tied the game with a run in the second inning and then took a 6-2 lead with a four-run fourth inning. Olivet added four more runs in the fifth. Alma closed the scoring with two runs in the bottom half of the seventh.

Offensively, the bottom four batters in the Comet lineup combined six hits and scored seven runs. Sophomore Matt Smoker (Bronson) and junior Rob Swanson (Marshall) had two base hits apiece, while freshmen Ben Kosmalski (Canton/Plymouth) and Phil Sullens (Belleville) each had a hit. Kosmalksi, Smoker and Swanson scored two runs apiece, while Sullens and Swanson each collected two RBI.

Junior Brandon Goodman (Portage/Central) finished with two hits, two RBI and two runs scored. Junior Ryan Hodges (Swartz Creek) also drove in a pair of runs.

On the mound, senior David Pembroke (Bay City/John Glenn) went the distance, allowing four runs on 12 hits, to win his second consecutive start. He struck out five and walked just one batter.

Alma and Olivet will play a doubleheader in Olivet Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m.