Baseball team loses at Calvin, 7-4 and 4-2
The baseball team rallied to tie the game or take the lead in both games of a MIAA doubleheader before Calvin College scored late in each one to beat the Comets, 7-5 and 4-2, today at Calvin Field in Grand Rapids.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team rallied to tie the game or take the lead in both games of a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) doubleheader before Calvin College scored late in each one to beat the Comets, 7-5 and 4-2, today at Calvin Field in Grand Rapids.
In the first game, the Knights used two doubles and a triple in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. Olivet had a two-out rally in the third inning to tie the game at 2-2. Calvin regained the lead at 3-2 with a run in its half of the third.
The Comets responded by plating two runs in the sixth inning for a 4-3 lead. Sophomore Randy Young (Wixom/Walled Lake Western) led off with a single, went to second on a sacrifice bunt and crossed the plate on a double by senior Jimmy Keenan (Charlotte). Keenan stole third base and scored on a sacrifice fly by freshman Jonny Zawacki (Alpena).
The Knights scored four runs on just three hits in the bottom half of the sixth. Olivet got the leadoff batter on base in the seventh but failed to score any runs.
For the game, the Comets were limited to six hits, including a double each for Keenan and Zawacki. Four others recorded a single apiece. On the mound, sophomore Jay Magro (Bridgman) was tagged with the loss. He gave up six runs (five earned) on 12 hits with three strikeouts in five and one-third innings. Junior Aaron Campbell (Lansing/Waverly) got the final two outs in relief.
In the second game, Calvin took a 1-0 lead with a run in the second inning and added an insurance run in the fourth inning. Olivet tied the game with two runs in the fifth inning. With the bases loaded, Zawacki scored on a sacrifice fly by Young. Later in the inning, senior Ben Kosmalski (Canton/Plymouth) scored on a throwing error by Calvin third baseman. The Knights answered with the winning two runs in the bottom half of the fifth.
Offensively, Olivet out-hit Calvin, 8-7. Senior Braydon LaFramboise (Flushing/Mt. Morris) was 3-for-4 with a stolen base. Kosmalski had two hits, including a double. On the mound, junior Sean Alexander (Fenton) suffered the loss. He allowed the four runs (three earned), while striking out four and walking two in six innings.
The teams will wrap-up the four-game MIAA series tomorrow with a doubleheader at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet, starting at 1 p.m.