Softball team drops home-opening games to Manchester

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College softball team opened its home schedule with a pair of losses, 10-3 and 15-5, to Manchester (Ind.) University this afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex.

• Final Scores: Manchester 10, Olivet 3; Manchester 15, Olivet 5 (5)
• Location: Cutler Athletic Complex; Olivet, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 0-6 overall, Manchester 10-6 overall

• The Comets took a 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of first inning. Senior Erin Brady led off with a double, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Brielle Broderick and slid under the tag at the plate on junior Meredith Morell's batted ball.
• The Spartans used a two-out hit to tie the game in the top half of third inning.
• Olivet answered with a run in the home half of the third. Broderick hit a double, advanced to third on Morell's single and came around to score on an RBI-single by junior Summer Smith.
• Manchester evened the score with a run in the fourth inning.
• The Spartans sent 12 batters to the plate and scored seven runs (all unearned) in the fifth inning.
• Both teams scored a run in the seventh inning. For the Comets, Brady reached on a single, stole second base, and scored on Morell's triple to the right-center field gap.
• For the game, Brady was 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. Morell drove in two runs.

• Manchester seized a 1-0 lead with a run in the visitor's half of the second inning.
• The Comets put together a two-out rally to push across three runs in the home part of the second. With the bases loaded, freshman Corina Hernandez hit an infield single to score freshman Madison Mervine. On the play, the shortstop's throwing error allowed Smith to scamper home and advance junior Maddie Bailey to third base. Another infield single off Brady's bat scored Bailey.
• The Spartans responded with three runs in the third, eight runs in the fourth and two runs in the fifth to take a commanding 15-3 lead.
• Olivet scored two runs in the last half of the fifth, but it was not enough, as Manchester posted the mercy-run victory. In the inning, Hernandez hit a single and hurried home on a Brady's triple. Broderick then had a suicide squeeze bunt to score Brady.
• For the game, Brady was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Hernandez also had two hits.

• Olivet plays its final non-conference doubleheader of the season Sunday at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio. First pitch from game is scheduled for 1 p.m.