Baseball team loses twice at Adrian, 6-1 and 8-7

The Olivet College baseball team was swept by Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) leader Adrian College this afternoon at Nicolay Field in Adrian. The Bulldogs won the first game, 6-1 and came from behind to win the second game, 8-7.

In the opener, the Comets scored a run in the first inning when senior Brandon Goodman (Portage/Portage Central) reached on a throwing error by the Adrian shortstop. He crossed the plated on a double to the right-centerfield gap by senior Scott Purdy (Traverse City/West). The Bulldogs pushed across two runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings for the 6-1 win.

Purdy finished the game with two of Olivet's four hits. Sophomore Ben Kosmalski (Canton/Plymouth) and junior Matt Smoker (Bronson) each had a single. On the mound, junior Tyler Kelly (Marshall) was charged with the loss. He went 5.2 innings and surrendered the six runs off 10 hits.

In the nightcap, the Comets jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a leadoff home run by senior Ryan Hodges (Swartz Creek). Adrian scored on a wild pitch in the third to tie the game at 1-1. Olivet took a 2-1 lead with a run in the fifth when Smoker singled home junior Erik McCloud (Holly), who led off the inning with an infield bunt single.

The Bulldogs plated four runs in the home half of the fifth inning. The Comets got one run back in the top half of the sixth on Purdy's sacrifice fly, which scored Kosmalski. In the seventh, Olivet rallied with two outs to score four runs and take a 7-5 lead. In the frame, Kosmalski and Purdy each ripped a two-run double. Adrian came right back and scored three runs in its half of the seventh to steal the victory from the Comets.

Goodman went 3-for-4 at the dish, while Hodges and Kosmalski had two hits apiece. Purdy drove in a team-high three runs. Freshman pitcher Aaron Campbell (Lansing/Waverly) was the losing pitcher.

Olivet will conclude its season tomorrow when it welcomes the Bulldogs to the Cutler Athletic Complex for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.