Anderson tosses no-hitter in first game

The softball team swept a doubleheader from Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) foe Kalamazoo College this afternoon in Olivet. Junior Erica Anderson (Casnovia/Kent City) pitched a no-hitter as the Lady Comets won the first game, 12-0. In the nightcap, Olivet tallied 18 hits en route to a 17-1 victory. Both games ended after five innings because of the eight-run mercy rule.

In the first game, the Comets (13-9, 4-2 MIAA) jumped out to an 1-0 lead in the first inning when senior Lindsey Daniels (Galesburg Augusta) hit a double to score senior Beth Shunkwiler (Berrien Center/Berrien Springs). Olivet scored five times in the second inning, including two on a home run by sophomore Katelan Schoen (Climax-Scotts).

The Comets closed the scoring with a six-run fourth inning. Schoen singled home two runs while senior Jill Shufelt (Millington) had a three-run triple. For the game, Anderson helped her own cause with a three-for-three performance at the plate. Daniels, Schoen, Shufelt and Shunkwiler collected two hits apiece.

Shunkwiler scored three runs along with Anderson and Schoen scoring twice each. Anderson pitched five solid innings with only four Kalamazoo (1-19, 0-8 MIAA) batters reaching first base, three on Comet errors and one on a walk. She struck out five.

Olivet raced out to a 3-0 lead in the nightcap on three RBI-singles in the first inning. After a Schoen single scored two runs in the third inning, the Comets erupted for 10 runs in the fourth inning. The first three runs in the inning came on a bases clearing double by Shunkwiler. Sophomore Heather Hinesman (Hudson) doubled home Shunkwiler.

Freshman Jessica Schmansky (Clarkston/Waterford Our Lady of Lakes) hit a double to move Hinesman to third. Schoen singled up the middle to score Hinesman. Schmansky came home on a sacrifice fly by freshman Kim Green (Portland). A groundout plated Schoen and cleared the bases.

Back-to-back doubles by senior Jenn Newland (Tekonsha) and Shufelt put them on third and second base, respectively. The scoring ended when Shunkwiler returned for her second at-bat of the inning and delivered a two-run double. Olivet closed the scoring in the fifth inning with a two-run double by Green.

Newland, Schmansky, Shufelt and Shunkwiler had three hits apiece. Newland and Shufelt also scored three times each while five others scored two times each. Shunkwiler drove in a team-high six runs. Green allowed four base hits and an earned run while striking out four. She needed just 65 pitches to complete the five innings of work.

The Comets wrap up the week with two away MIAA doubleheaders. On Thursday, they will play Adrian College at 3:30 p.m., and on Saturday, they travel to Grand Rapids to play Calvin College at 1 p.m.

NOTES:

• Erica Anderson's no-hitter is the eighth in school history. For the second straight year, Olivet has thrown a no-hitter against Kalamazoo College. Jenn Newland pitched a seven-inning no-hitter against Kalamazoo in 2004.
• Beth Shunkwiler has already shattered the college's single-season home run (six) and RBIs (33) records. The previous records were four and 27, respectively.