Softball team splits pair of extra inning contests at Denison Invitational

The Olivet College softball team split a pair of extra-inning contests today at the Denison University Invitational in Granville, Ohio. In the opener, the Comets fell to Denison, 10-9, in nine innings. In the second game, Olivet defeated Ohio Wesleyan, 4-3, in eight innings.

Against Denison, the Comets took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on three straight singles, including a RBI-single by junior Anna Braner (Belmond, Iowa/Marshall). Olivet added another run in the fifth. Denison got on the scoreboard with a run in its half of the fifth.

After the Comets tallied two unearned runs in the sixth inning, the Big Red answered with four runs in the bottom half of the sixth to take a 5-4 lead. Olivet forced extra innings with a run in the seventh. Junior Kacey Darling (Hartford) walked to leadoff the inning and stole second. After two outs were recorded, junior Felicia Smith (Spring Lake) ripped a double in the right-centerfield alley to score Darling.

Each team scored twice in the eighth inning. In the top half of the ninth, Olivet scored two runs and left runners on second and third base. Denison won the game with three runs in the home half of the ninth.

Braner had a 4-for-5 performance at the plate. She scored three runs. Smith and junior Heidi Wear (Hastings/Wayland Union) each had two hits, one run scored and two RBI. In the circle, junior Beth DeLora (Muskegon/Oakridge) was tagged with the loss. She surrendered 10 runs (eight earned) on 14 hits.

In the second game, Ohio Wesleyan took advantage of two Comet errors to score an unearned run in the first inning. Olivet took a 2-1 lead when it scored twice in the second. The Battling Bishops tied the game at 2-2 with another unearned run in the sixth.

The Comets answered with a run in the top half of the seventh. Three consecutive singles loaded the bases, and a sacrifice fly to centerfield by Braner plated the run. Ohio Wesleyan broke up a no-hitter and forced extra innings with a leadoff home run.

To start the eighth inning, Wear was placed on second base because of the international tiebreaker rule. She advanced to third on junior Kacie Rosecrants' (Parma/Western) single. An error by the OWU pitcher allowed Wear to score. In the bottom half, the Bishops were able to get the runner over to third base with one out. However, a strikeout and flyout ended the threat.

For the game, Smith finished with two of the Comets' five hits. Sophomore Jenny Robbins (Fenton) scored two runs. In the circle, freshman Katie Harper (Vassar) earned the win, allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits. She struck out seven and walked one.

Olivet is back in action Wednesday, April 2, when it hosts Saint Mary's (Ind.) College at 3:30 p.m. The doubleheader is the MIAA-opener for the Comets.