Baseball team loses season-opener to Salem State, 8-1

Myers has two hits in first collegiate game

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Olivet College baseball team opened its season with an 8-1 loss to Salem State (Mass.) University today at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. Today's game was the first of eight for the Comets in Florida.

There was no scoring until the fourth inning when the Vikings plated two runs. Olivet got a run back and cut its deficit in half in the seventh inning when senior catcher Austin Clark (Ossineke/Alpena) scored on a sacrifice fly by freshman second baseman Tom Kort (New Hudson/South Lyon). Earlier in the inning, Clark reached base on a walk, moved to second on a single by senior third baseman Tyler Olinske (Negaunee) and to third when freshman first baseman Joey Myers (Holt) was hit by a pitch. Salem State put the game out of reach with a run in the eighth and five unearned runs in the ninth.

Junior Jay Magro (Bridgman) was tagged with the loss. He started the game on the mound, allowing the first two runs on two hits in four innings. Sophomore Jake Ball (Cadillac) threw three scoreless innings of relief. Freshman David Hernandez (Lansing/Eastern) gave up the final six runs on three hits.

At the plate, the Comets out-hit the Vikings, 7-6. Myers had a nice collegiate debut, reaching base in three of four plate appearances with two hits. Junior shortstop Randy Young (Wixom/Walled Lake Western) also had two hits. Three others each had a base hit.

Olivet returns to the field tomorrow when it plays Kenyon (Ohio) College at noon. The game will be played at the former Red Soccer Player Development Complex in downtown Fort Myers.