Softball team splits season-finale doubleheader

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Olivet College softball team ended the 2017 season by splitting a doubleheader against Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) foe Calvin College today at the Gainey Athletic Facility in Grand Rapids. After losing a pitcher's duel in game one, 2-1, the Comets bounced back to win the nightcap, 6-3.

THE BASICS
Final Scores: Calvin 2, Olivet 1; Olivet 6, Calvin 3
Location: Gainey Athletic Facility; Grand Rapids, Mich.
Records: Olivet 15-23 overall, 6-10 MIAA; Calvin 20-20 overall, 5-11 MIAA

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME ONE)

• The Knights took a 1-0 lead in the third inning.
• Without using a hit, the Comets evened the score at 1-1 in the fourth inning. Freshman Courtney Willson was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. She stole second and scored on an error by the second baseman on freshman Jazmin Hildebrand's batted ball.
• Calvin scored what proved to be the winning run in the sixth inning.
• Olivet left the tying run stranded in scoring position in the seventh inning.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet had only two hits in the game, a single by senior Taylor Smith and a double by junior Konnor Geiger.
• Freshman Gracie Boyle was the hard-luck losing pitcher. She yielded the two runs (one earned) on four hits in six innings.

FOR THE KNIGHTS

• Four Calvin players each had a single.
• Anna Gernant struck out 11 batters and walked one in the complete game performance to earn the pitching win.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME TWO)

• Two walks led to two Knight runs in the top half of the first inning.
• The Comets sent nine batters to the plate and scored six runs in the bottom half of the first inning.
• Freshman Payton Watson led off with a single up the middle. Willson and Smith walked to load the bases. Hildebrand lined a single into center field to plate Watson and Willson. Freshman Taylor Shellenberger got on base via an infield single to re-load the bases. Geiger reached on a fielder's choice, but Smith scored the go-ahead run. Senior Carrie Chamberlain singled through the right-side of the infield to fill the bases one more time. After an infield fly for the second out, junior Olivia Peraino cleared the bases with a three-run double to deep center field.
• Calvin scored an unearned run in the second inning to make the score 6-3.
• Both teams had chances to score runs later in the game but failed to score any.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet totaled 10 hits in the game.
• Watson went 3-for-4.
• Hildebrand had two hits in three at-bats.
• In the circle, Chamberlain picked-up the win. She gave up the three runs (two earned) on four hits. She struck out five.

FOR THE KNIGHTS                                                                                  

• Jessica Brasser was on base in each of her four plate appearances, one on a hit and three times on a walk.
• Kayla Groen also had one hit and drove in two runs.
• Paige Groom was the losing pitcher. She allowed all six runs on 10 hits, with two walks and four strikeouts.

BEYOND THE NUMBERS

• Watson finished the year with a perfect 14-of-14 on stolen bases. The 14 thefts are fourth-most in school history for a single-season, and the most by an Olivet since 2009 when Anna Braner had 18.
• Watson also walked 17 times to tie for the third-most. Shellenberger's 16 free passes are tied for the fifth-most.
• Smith recorded 29 RBI in 2017 to tie for the fifth-most in a season at Olivet.
• Smith ended her Comet career with a .604 slugging percentage for the third-best all-time mark at Olivet.