Softball team drops two games at Gene Cusic Classic

The Olivet College softball team dropped two games today at the Gene Cusic Classic inside the Cape Coral Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Fla. In their first game, the Comets were defeated by Pine Manor (Mass.) College, 5-2. In the nightcap, Olivet fell to New Jersey City University, 5-3.

Pine Manor took a 4-0 lead with single runs in the first three innings and fifth inning. The Comets (4-6) got on the scoreboard in the top half of the sixth inning when junior Heidi Wear (Hastings/Wayland Union) ripped an inside-the-park home run to the left-centerfield gap. The Gators answered with a run in their half of the sixth. Olivet was able to push across one run in the top half of the seventh when junior Beth DeLora (Muskegon/Oakridge) doubled and scored on a throwing error.

Offensively, six different Comets each had a hit. Extra base hits were Wear's home run, DeLora's double and a double by junior Anna Braner (Belmond, Iowa/Marshall). In the circle, freshman Katie Harper (Vassar) gave up four earned runs on 11 hits and struck out two in five and two-thirds innings. In relief, DeLora got the final out.

NJCU led 5-0 through four innings of play after scoring four runs in the first and one more in the fourth. Olivet got three runs back in the fifth inning. Junior Cassie Bowerman (Quincy) walked to leadoff the inning and moved to second on a single by sophomore Christine Cameron (Elkhart, Ind./Concord). After a strikeout, Bowerman scored and Cameron went to third on a pinch-hit single by freshman Ashley Laprise (Constantine).

After a throwing error allowed Laprise to take second base, a sacrifice fly brought home Cameron. Wear kept the rally alive with a single to bring home Laprise. With two outs in the seventh inning, the Comets brought the go-ahead run to the plate, but a groundout ended the threat.

Olivet was led at the plate by Wear, who was 3-for-4 to raise her batting average to .429. Junior Kacie Rosecrants (Parma/Western) finished with two hits. Harper also suffered the pitching loss in this game, as she threw three and two-thirds innings. She struck out five and gave up four earned runs on seven hits. DeLora finished the game in circle and did not allow a base hit.

The Comets will wrap up their spring break trip tomorrow with a 9 a.m. game against Bowdoin (Maine) College, followed by a game against North Park (Ill.) University.