Baseball wins three games against Alma

The Olivet College swept a tripleheader from Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Alma College this afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. The Comets won the first game, 5-3, which was completed after being suspended April 10 because of rain. Olivet won both games of the rescheduled doubleheader by one run, 2-1 and 4-3.

In the suspended game, Alma took an early 1-0 lead with a run in the first inning. The Comets responded with a four-run fourth inning. Junior Scott Purdy (Traverse City/West) hit a double and went to second when the Scot right fielder misplayed the ball. A double down the leftfield line by senior Eric Quinn (Port Huron/Northern) scored Purdy. A triple down the right field line by sophomore Matt Smoker (Bronson) scored Quinn.

Junior Rob Swanson (Marshall) kept the rally alive when he reached base on a fielder's choice after Smoker was thrown out at the plate. Freshman Phil Sullens (Belleville) walked. Junior Brandon Goodman (Portage/Central) followed with a double to the left-centerfield gap, scoring Swanson and Sullens.

The Scots closed to within a run, 4-3, with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Olivet added an insurance run in the sixth when Swanson walked and came around to score on Goodman's single.

Goodman finished with two hits and three RBI. Purdy was 3-for-4 with a run scored. On the mound, senior David Pembroke (Bay City/John Glenn) went seven innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits.

In the first game of the doubleheader, the Comets pushed across a run in the first after two outs were recorded. Junior Ryan Hodges (Swartz Creek) doubled to lead off the game and went to third on Purdy's single and scored on Smoker's infield single. The Scots tied the game with an unearned run in the second inning.

In the top half of the fifth, Alma loaded the bases with two outs. Goodman preserved the tie with a diving catch in left-centerfield to end the inning. In the bottom half of the fifth, Goodman drove in what proved to be the game-winning run. Sophomore Josh Norlock (Warren/Center Line) singled, advanced to second on Hodges' sacrifice bunt and to third on a wild pitch. After a strikeout for the second out, Goodman brought home Norlock on an infield single deep in the hole at short.

Goodman had two of the six Olivet hits. On the mound, freshman southpaw Sean Alexander (Fenton) pitched a complete game, three-hitter. He struck out four and gave up an unearned run.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Comets scored the first two runs of the game in the first inning. Purdy drove in Hodges for the first run, while freshman Beau Felix (Fenton/Hartland) plated freshman Ben Kosmalski (Canton/Plymouth) with the second run.

Olivet made the score 3-0 with a run in the second inning. Hodges led off the inning with a double and scored on a triple by Kosmalski. The Scots tied the game with three runs in the top half of the fifth. The Comets immediately answered with a run in the home half of the fifth. Hodges scored the run on a fielder's choice RBI for Purdy.

Alma had chances in the sixth and seventh innings to tie the game. In the seventh, the Scots had the bases loaded with one out, but the Comet defense turned a double play to end the game.

For the game, Hodges was 3-for-3 with three runs scored. Purdy had a hit and drove in a pair of runs. On the mound, senior Ed O'Brien (Stockbridge) earned the win, giving up three runs (one earned) on five hits over five plus innings of work. Norlock picked-up his first collegiate save.

Olivet will take a break from league play Tuesday when it travels to play Oakland University at 3 p.m. The Comets' next four-game series is against Adrian College. On Wednesday, Olivet hosts Adrian at 2 p.m., while the two teams will play a doubleheader at Adrian's Nicolay Field Saturday at 1 p.m.