Baseball team swept by Alma

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team was swept by Alma College, 20-2 and 5-4, in the first two games of a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) series today at the Cutler Athletic Complex. Before the doubleheader, the Comets recognized their four seniors – Daniel Ballagh, Tyler Campbell, Ryan Upton and Sylas Woll.

• Final Scores: Alma 20, Olivet 2 (7); Alma 5, Olivet 4
• Location: Cutler Athletic Complex; Olivet, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 3-31 overall, 1-19 MIAA; Alma 20-18-1 overall, 15-5 MIAA

• The Scots went ahead 10-0 after scoring two runs in the second inning, three runs in the third and five runs in the fourth. After Olivet scored its run in the bottom half of the fourth, Alma answered with a run in the top of fifth.
• The Comets responded with their second run in the last half of the fifth. The Scots put the game out of reach by scoring eight runs in the sixth before adding a single tally in the seventh for the 20-2 run-rule win.
• Olivet was held to just four hits, all singles by Ballagh, Woll, freshman Will Myrick and junior Gabriel Kirck. Kirck also walked twice and drove in a run.
• Alma totaled 20 hits. Dalton D'Alexander was 4-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and five RBI. Cameron Bleasdale had three hits and scored four runs. Stephen McGlade recorded three hits, three runs and three RBI. Jacob Wanous earned the pitching win in relief of starter Tyler Johnson, who started on the mound and threw the first three innings.

• The Scots pushed across three runs in the top half of the second. Olivet got one run back in the home half of the second when sophomore Ethan VanLannen hit an RBI-double to score sophomore Mason Cook.
• Alma added single runs in the third and sixth innings to extend their lead to 5-1.
• The Comets did not go down quietly in the ninth inning, as they scored three runs and left the tying run stranded on second base. Sophomore Blake Hawkins led off with a pinch-hit single. Freshman Owen Smith entered the game to run for Hawkins. After the first out was recorded, junior Alex Rose hit a double to the advance Smith to third base. Freshman Brody Parten lined a double just out of reach of a diving center fielder to score Hawkins and Rose. Following the second out, freshman Nate Droste poked the ball to the outfield for an RBI-double to score Parten. The Scots escaped the jam with a strikeout looking to end the game.
• Olivet out-hit Alma, 10 to 9. Myrick, Rose, VanLannen and Droste each tallied two hits. Both of Rose's hits were doubles.
• For the Scots, three players – D'Alexander, Avery Carnicom and Tony Smith – finished the game with two hits apiece. Cole Grunwald picked-up the pitching win after throwing the first six innings. Three relief pitchers each tossed an inning.

• Olivet and Alma conclude the series tomorrow with a nine-inning game at Klenk Park in Alma, starting at 1 p.m.