Baseball team loses season-opener, 17-14, to Saint Joseph's

The Olivet College baseball team opened the 2008 season with a 17-14 loss to St. Joseph's College of Maine at the RussMatt Invitational in Port Charlotte, Fla.

The Comets (0-1) had an 8-7 lead after four innings. After the Monks tied the game at 8-8 in the top half of the seventh, Olivet grabbed the lead back, 11-8, with a three-run bottom half of the seventh. In the top of the ninth, St. Joseph erupted for nine runs to take a 17-11 lead. The Comets battled back, scoring three run in its half of the ninth and leaving the tying run in the on-deck circle.

Offensively, Olivet was led by freshman Phil Sullens (Belleville). He had three hits, including two doubles, and scored four runs. Freshman Brandon Goodman (Portage/Central) was 3-for-5 (single, double and triple), scored four runs and drove in three runs. Junior Ryan Hodges (Swartz Creek), senior Michael Katlin (Howell), Braydon LaFramboise (Flushing/Mt. Morris) and Eric Quinn (Port Huron/Northern) each had two hits. LaFramboise collected three RBI, while one of Quinn's hits was a two-run single.

On the mound, senior David Pembroke (Bay City/John Glenn) started and went six innings. He gave up seven runs on 10 hits, did not walk a batter and struck out one. In relief, freshman Sean Alexander (Fenton) threw an inning and one-third, allowing no hits. Junior Steven Oginsky (New Lothrop) was tagged with the loss.

The Comets look to rebound from the loss tomorrow when they play a doubleheader against Clark (Mass.) University, beginning at 11 a.m.