Softball team splits two games at Gene Cusic Classic

The Olivet College softball team spilt two games today at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. In their first game, the Comets fell to St. John Fisher (N.Y.) College, 4-3. In the second game, Olivet defeated Rockford (Ill.) College, 12-2, in five innings.

SJFC scored a run in the third inning before the Comets tied the game at 1-1 with an unearned run in the fourth. With two outs in the fifth, SJFC scored a pair of runs. Olivet added a run in the sixth when senior Shannon Hall (Taylor/Truman) tripled and scored on a wild pitch. SJFC hit a home run in the top half of the seventh. The Comets pushed one run across the plate and left two runners on base in their half of the seventh.

For the game, Olivet had five base hits, including two singles by sophomore Kacie Rosecrants (Parma/Western). Hall reached base three times, once on a hit and two times on errors by SJFC. In the circle, sophomore Corie Greene (Brown City) suffered the loss. She allowed seven hits and three earned runs.

Against Rockford, the Comets scored four runs in the first inning, one more run in the second and third and ended the game with a six-run fifth inning. Rockford pushed its runs across the plate in the fourth.

At the plate, sophomore Alisha Ridsdale (Laingsburg) was three-for-four with a three-run triple and a three-run home run. Sophomore Christina Luna (Charlotte) was three-for-three. Anna Braner (Belmond, Iowa/Marshall), Amy Cooper (Bath) and Heidi Wear (Hastings/Wayland Union) each collected two base hits. Cooper scored three runs.

Freshman Haley Van Epps (Grand Ledge) earned the win after tossing three innings, while giving up two walks. Freshman Karlie McManaman (Williamston) pitched the final two innings. She gave up two runs (one earned) and struck out three.

Olivet wraps-up its Spring Break trip tomorrow with a 9 a.m. game against Rochester (N.Y.) Institute of Technology and a 1 p.m. game against Worcester Polytechnic Institute.