Softball team defeats Adrian, 11-10; second game called off

The Olivet College softball team defeated Adrian College, 11-10, today in Adrian. The second game of the scheduled doubleheader was called off due to the extreme cold temperatures and will be made up April 22 at 1 p.m.

The Comets (13-6, 1-2 MIAA) scored a run in the top half of the first inning when sophomore Kacey Darling (Hartford) hit a RBI double to score sophomore Heidi Wear (Hastings/Wayland Union), who also had a double. The Bulldogs (11-4, 2-1 MIAA) answered with three runs in their half of the first.

Olivet took an 8-3 lead with a seven-run third inning. Sophomore Anna Braner (Belmond, Iowa/Marshall) walked to lead off the frame. Wear reached base on an infield single. Both runners moved up one base on a wild pitch. Braner came around to score on a groundout by sophomore Christina Luna (Charlotte). A single by Darling, a walk to sophomore Kacie Rosecrants (Parma/Western) and a single by senior Shannon Hall (Taylor/Truman) loaded the bases. Sophomore Alisha Ridsdale (Laingsburg) came up to bat and hit a grand slam home run over the centerfield fence. Sophomore Heather Jones (Trenton) made it back-to-back home runs with a solo shot over the leftfield fence.

The Comets added another run in the top of the fourth as Darling scored on a RBI-single by Ridsdale. Adrian made the score, 9-7, with fours runs in the bottom half of the fourth. Olivet stretched its lead back to four runs, 11-7, with two runs in the fifth inning. Braner and Wear each reached base on walks. Braner scored on a single by Luna and Wear scored on a single by Rosecrants. The Bulldogs cut their deficit down to one run, 11-10, with three runs in the sixth. There was no scoring in the seventh inning as both teams left one runner on base.

For the game, every Olivet had a season-high 16 hits and every starter collected at least one hit. Wear was four-for-four with three runs scored. Ridsdale was three-for-three with five RBI. Darling finished with three hits. Darling and Luna each drove in two runs. In the circle, sophomore Corie Greene (Brown City) pitched seven innings, allowing 10 runs (nine earned) on 13 hits. She struck out three.

The Comets are back in action Thursday when they host Tri-State (Ind.) University for a MIAA doubleheader, beginning at 3:30 p.m.