Baseball team posts 1-1 record at Gene Cusic Classic

The Olivet College baseball team posted a 1-1 record today at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. The Comets defeated the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (N.Y.), 15-7, in their first game. They were then shutout by Fredonia State (N.Y.), 12-0, in the nightcap.

Against Merchant Marine, Olivet scored two times in the second and fifth innings for a 4-1 lead. The Comets then broke the game open with five runs in the sixth and six runs in the seventh. The Mariners pushed across six runs in the top half of the ninth.

Batting out of the seventh spot in the lineup, sophomore Tyler Olinske (Negaunee) reached base safely in all five of his plate appearances with three singles, one double and a walk. He also scored three times and drove in a pair of runs. Senior Erik McCloud (Holly) had two hits, including a three-run double. Juniors Beau Felix (Hartland) and Ben Kosmalski (Canton/Plymouth), sophomore Austin Clark (Ossineke/Alpena) and senior Matt Smoker (Bronson) each collected two singles. Four different players had two RBI apiece. On the mound, junior Brad Beisiegel (Royal Oak) scattered three hits in seven innings to earn his first win of the season. He allowed just one earned run, struck out four and did not walk a batter.

Against Fredonia State, the Comets were held to just four hits by four players and no base runners reached third base. Freshman Justin Pitt (Imlay City) suffered the pitching loss. He started and went four and two-thirds innings, giving up 11 runs (three earned) off nine hits.

Olivet is scheduled to play a doubleheader tomorrow against Dominican (Ill.) University, beginning at 2 p.m.