Softball team wins two games at The Spring Games

LEESBURG, Fla. – The Olivet College softball team totaled 32 runs and 42 hits in two wins today at The Spring Games and inside the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex in Leesburg, Florida. In the first game, the Comets beat Gordon (Mass.) College, 16-1, in five innings. In the second game, Olivet came back to Wheaton (Ill.) College, 16-9.

Final Score: Olivet 16, Gordon (Mass.) 1 (5)
Location: Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex; Leesburg, Fla.
Records: Gordon 0-1 overall, Olivet 2-3 overall

• The Comets pushed across four runs in the home half of the first inning on a two-run single by sophomore Kaylee Clothier and two-run home run by senior Jazmin Hildebrand.
• Olivet then strung together six hits and scored five runs in the second inning.
• The Comets sent 11 batters to the plate and plated seven runs in the third inning. The runs came around to score on two-run doubles by Hildebrand and freshmen Jessica Barnes and Erin Brady.

• Olivet recorded 20 hits and every starter had at least one hit.
• Hildebrand was 3-for-3 with a double, home run, three runs scored and five RBI.
• Barnes went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI.
• Junior Kayla Blett also had three hits in three at-bats.
• Brady, Clothier, sophomore Danielle Erickson and senior Taylor Shellenberger each had two hits.
• Brady drove in three runs.
• In the circle, Erickson threw all five innings and gave up the one earned run on six hits.

• Laura Bieren and Amanda Benner had two hits apiece.
• Arianna Ramsaran drove in the only run on a double.
• Kristen Brown was charged with the pitching loss. She tossed all four innings and allowed 15 earned runs.

Final Score: Olivet 16, Wheaton (Ill.) 9
Location: Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex; Leesburg, Fla.
Records: Wheaton 1-1 overall, Olivet 3-3 overall

• The Comets took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on RBI-singles by Barnes, Hildebrand and sophomore Karina Marin.
• Olivet added two more runs in top half of the second inning.
• The Thunder responded with eight runs in their half of the second.
• The Comets tied the game with three runs in the third inning on RBI-singles by senior Payton Watson, Barnes and Clothier.
• Olivet plated three runs in the fifth inning. The first was on an RBI-single by Barnes. The second was on a misplay by the Wheaton third baseman. The third was on an RBI-single by freshman Kaitlyn Hortsdaniel.
• The Comets scored another run in the sixth inning on a RBI-double by Clothier.
• Olivet capped its scoring with a four-run seventh inning. Shellenberger brought home the first run with a sacrifice fly, followed by back-to-back RBI-doubles by Watson and Barnes. The fourth run was scored on an error.

• Olivet tallied 22 hits, including a 5-for-6 performance by Barnes. She also drove in four runs. Her five hits tied the single-game school record. Devon Mayse had five hits at Calvin University on April 25, 2015. 
• From the leadoff spot in the lineup, Shellenberger batted 4-for-4 and tied the single-game school record with five runs scored. Morgan Iloncaie also scored five runs at Kalamazoo College on April 24, 2010.
• Watson was 3-for-4 with four runs and three RBI.
• Clothier had two hits and drove in three runs.
• Also recording two hits were Hortsdaniel, Marin and Blett.
• Barnes and Clothier matched the single-game school record with six at-bats. Six other players have achieved the feat, most recently by Payton Watson against Adrian College on March 29, 2019.
• Erickson earned the pitching win in relief of Barnes. Erickson gave up one earned run on four hits over the final five and one-third innings.

• Claire Busch recorded three of the eight Wheaton hits.
• Estelle Rios hit a grand slam home run.
• Ashley Carter was the losing pitcher. She allowed the first 11 runs on 17 hits over four and one-third innings.

• Tomorrow, Olivet plays Marian (Wis.) University at 3:30 p.m., followed by a game against Delaware Valley (Pa.) College at approximately 6:15 p.m.