Baseball: Olivet splits doubleheader at Kalamazoo

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The University of Olivet baseball team split a doubleheader against Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) foe Kalamazoo College today at Woodworth Field. After losing the first game, 14-8, the Comets won the nightcap, 10-5.

• Final Scores: Kalamazoo 14, Olivet 8; Olivet 10, Kalamazoo 5
• Location: Woodworth Field; Kalamazoo, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 9-25 overall, 3-14 MIAA; Kalamazoo 24-9 overall, 12-5 MIAA

• After getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the first inning, the Comets loaded the bases themselves in the top of the second inning. Olivet managed to score one run on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Will Myrick.
• Kalamazoo answered with four runs in the home half of the second inning.
• The Comets made the score 4-2 in the third inning on an RBI-single by sophomore Braden Abbott.
• The Hornets came right back with a two-run single in their half of the third inning to stretch their lead to 6-2.
• A single, followed by a walk and an RBI-single scored a run for Olivet in the fifth inning. Junior Mason Cook then hit a three-run homer to even the score.
• Kalamazoo responded with two runs in the last part of the fifth to take the lead back for good at 8-6.

• Olivet totaled 13 hits.
• Abbott and sophomore Nate Droste each went 3-for-5.
• Freshman Austin Alflen and senior Gabriel Kirck tallied two hits apiece.

• Olivet jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI-single by Kirck and RBI-groundout by Abbott.
• The Comets added to their lead in the second inning on junior Brendan Monroe's RBI-groundout.
• The Hornets plated two runs in their half of the second and one run in the third to tie the game at 3-3.
• Olivet used a two-out rally to push across five runs in the fourth inning. The first two batters in the frame walked. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. After a groundout to first, Droste walked to fill the bases. Alflen was hit by a pitch to bring home the first run. Kirck then cleared the bases with a grand slam deep over the fence in center field.
• Kalamazoo closed the gap to 8-5 with single tallies in the fifth and seventh innings.
• The Comets plated two insurance runs in the top of the eighth. The two runs scored on an error by the shortstop.
• The Hornets went down in order in the eighth inning. In the ninth, the leadoff batter walked but was quickly taken off the bases when Olivet turned a double play. A pop out ended the game.

• Olivet had 10 hits.
• Kirck was 4-for-5 with five RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases.
• Alflen, Droste and Myrick each scored two runs.
• On the mound, sophomore Bryan Carney earned the win. He allowed four runs on seven hits over the first five innings.
• Sophomore Charlie Quilliam threw 74 pitches over the final four innings to pick-up the save.  

• With his grand slam in the second game, Kirck moved into second all-time at Olivet with 18 home runs and 107 RBI. He needs one home run and two RBI to tie the career records of 19 and 109 by Chris Shelhart from 2004-07.
• The win in the second game snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Hornets.

• The Comets and Hornets are scheduled to play two games tomorrow at the Cutler Athletic Association, starting at 1 p.m. The first game will be a nine-inning, MIAA contest, while the second game will be a seven-inning, non-conference contest.