Two near no-hitters in 6-0 wins lift softball team to wins over Kenyon and Salem State

CAPE CORAL, Fla. – Freshmen Ashlynn Grubb (LaGrange, Ind./Lakeland) and Morgan Stratton (Grand Blanc) combined to allow only three hits and strike out 22 batters, as the Olivet College softball team posted a pair of 6-0 shutout wins today over Kenyon (Ohio) College and Salem State (Mass.) University at the Gene Cusic Classic in Cape Coral, Fla. With the win, Olivet remains undefeated at 7-0.

The Comets jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Kenyon when they plated three unearned runs in the first inning. Junior Ashley Milheim (Eaton Rapids) reached on an infield single. Freshman Kelsey Scheenks (Bronson) bunted the ball, and on the play, the Kenyon third baseman had a throwing error, allowing Milheim and Scheenks each to take an extra base.

Senior Alyssa Nielsen (Greenville) then hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Milheim and moving Scheenks up to third base. Senior Terri Hurosky (Nashville/Maple Valley) kept the inning alive with a double to score Scheenks. Hurosky came around to score on a single by senior Lauren Lenard (Dimondale/Lansing Catholic).

Olivet manufactured a run in the third inning. Nielsen singled to start the inning, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Grubb and scored on a single by Lenard. The Comets capped their scoring with a two-run fifth inning. Nielsen and Grubb led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Hurosky advanced them each one base with a sacrifice bunt. Freshman Jessica Palumbo (Oxford) then lined a single to score both runners.

In the circle, Grubb faced only four batters more than minimum and allowed the only hit to start the sixth inning. She walked two and struck out 13 batters. At the plate, Lenard, Milheim and Nielsen each had two hits. Lenard and Palumbo collected two RBI apiece.

The Comets did all of their scoring against Salem State in the third inning. Freshman Devon Mayse (Adrian/Madison) and Milheim walked to begin the inning. Another errant throw on a bunt for Scheenks allowed Mayse to score and Milheim advance to third. Nielsen hit a sac fly to score Milheim. Grubb had an RBI-single to plate Scheenks.

Hurosky was hit by a pitch, but was then forced her out at second base put Grubb at third base and Lenard at first base. Lenard stole second to move into scoring position. Palumbo hit a two-out, two-run double and then scored herself on a single by Stratton.

Like Grubb in the first game, Stratton faced only four batters more than the minimum and needed only 97 pitches to gain her fourth pitching win of the season. She had a season-high nine strikeouts and did not walk a batter. At the plate, freshman Christine Wood (East Lansing/Haslett) went 2-for-2 after entering the game as a defensive replacement in the fourth inning. Six other Olivet players had one hit apiece. Palumbo drove in two more runs.

The Comets are off tomorrow and will return to the Cape Coral Sports Complex Wednesday afternoon for a 1 p.m. game against North Park (Ill.) University and 3 p.m. game against Mount Mary (Wis.) College.

NOTES: In seven spring break games, the Comets have only allowed one earned in 45 innings for a 0.16 ERA. Grubb has 40 batters strikeouts in 19 innings. At the plate, sophomore Maddy Siebenmark (Bridgman) has a team-high .571 batting average. Nielsen is hitting .500. Grubb and Milheim each have a team-leading 10 hits for a .455 and .435 batting average, respectively. As a team, Olivet is hitting .371 and opponents are hitting .129.