Baseball: Olivet loses home-opener to Grace Christian, 12-8

OLIVET, Mich. – The University of Olivet baseball team began its 2024 home schedule with a 12-8 loss to Grace Christian University today at the Cutler Athletic Complex.

• Final Score: Grace Christian 12, Olivet 8
• Location: Cutler Athletic Complex; Olivet, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 5-9 overall, Grace Christian 5-18 overall

• In the bottom of the first inning, five of the first six batters walked to bring in two runs. A third run came around to score on a sacrifice fly.
• Olivet added two more runs in the second inning. Senior Matthew Fennell hit a double to lead off the inning. He advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring from third base on a passed ball. Sophomore Will Myrick walked, went to second base on a wild pitch and hustled around to score from second on another wild pitch.
• The Tigers needed only one hit to score five runs in the top of the third inning.
• The Comets took a 6-5 lead in the fourth inning when Myrick was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on senior Gabriel Kirck's single to right-center field and scored on sophomore Braden Abbott's double.
• Olivet stretched its lead to 8-5 when it plated a pair of runs in the fifth inning. Junior Blake Hawkins walked, stole second, went to third on a fielding error off a batted ball by sophomore Ray Strzynksi and came around to score on freshman Jack Friesen's single. Later in the inning, Strzynski scored on a wild pitch.
• In the top of sixth inning, the Tigers strung together three hits and took advantage of two Comet errors to push across six runs to take their first lead, 11-8.
• Grace Christian capped its scoring with a run in the eighth inning.

• Myrick reached base safely in each of his five plate appearances – walked twice and was by a pitch three times –while scoring a team-leading three runs. He is the first Olivet player since the 2003 season to be plunked by a pitch three times.
• Friesen had two of the six Olivet hits. One of hits was a double.
• The other extra base hits were doubles by Abbott and Fennell.
• Freshman Trevor Kunst started on the mound and gave up five runs (three earned) on two hits over two and one-third innings.
• Sophomore Charlie Quilliam allowed six runs (three earned) on five hits over three and one-third innings.
• Sophomore Nate Droste threw the final three innings, surrendering an unearned run on two hits.

• Olivet heads to Delaware, Ohio, on Saturday morning for a weekend series against Ohio Wesleyan University. The Comets and Battling Bishops are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday and one nine-inning game on Sunday. The first pitch for both days is 12 p.m.