Softball team sweeps doubleheader at Albion, 9-1 and 8-3
The Olivet College softball team swept a doubleheader from Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Albion College today at Dempsey Field in Albion. The Comets won the first game, 9-1, in five innings and won the nightcap, 8-3.
The Olivet College softball team swept a doubleheader from Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Albion College today at Dempsey Field in Albion. The Comets won the first game, 9-1, in five innings and won the nightcap, 8-3.
In the first game, Olivet (18-12, 6-8 MIAA) scored two runs in the first inning. Sophomore Kacie Rosecrants (Parma/Western) ripped the first pitch of the game into the left-centerfield gap for a double. She came around to score on a single by sophomore Christina Luna (Charlotte). On the play, Luna moved up to third base when the Albion centerfielder misplayed the ball. A groundrule double by sophomore Kacey Darling (Hartford) scored Luna.
The Comets sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six runs in the second inning. Sophomore Cassie Bowerman (Quincy) started the rally with a double. Rosecrants walked. Sophomore Heidi Wear (Hastings/Wayland Union) reached first base on a fielder's choice. Junior Amy Cooper (Bath) drew a bases loaded walk to bring home Bowerman with the first run. An error by the Briton third baseman brought in Rosecrants and allowed Luna to reach first base.
Darling cleared the bases with a grand slam home run. With the home run, she breaks Beth Shunkwiler's (2004-05) Olivet career record of nine. Albion scored an unearned run in the fourth inning. Olivet scored its final run in the fifth inning. Senior Shannon Hall (Taylor/Truman) took first base on a throwing error and advanced to second on an out. She scored on Bowerman's single to right-centerfield.
Making her first collegiate start, Bowerman was three-for-three with a RBI and run scored. Darling finished with two hits and five RBI. Luna and Rosecrants each scored two runs. In the circle, sophomore Corie Greene (Brown City) scattered three hits in five innings, while striking out one and walking two.
In the nightcap, the Comets had a five-run first inning. Luna brought home Rosecrants and Wear with a double. Bowerman along with sophomores Anna Braner (Belmond, Iowa/Marshall) and Alisha Ridsdale (Laingsburg) each had a RBI in the inning. The Britons got three runs back in the top half of the second inning. Olivet added another run in the third and closed the scoring with two runs in the fourth. Freshman Kaitlyn See (Howell) scored the third-inning run when Rosecrants lifted a sacrifice fly to leftfield. Ridsdale had a two-run single to score Luna and Darling in the fourth.
At the plate, Bowerman, Luna, Ridsdale and Rosecrants led the Comets with two hits apiece. Luna scored twice and drove in a pair of runs. Ridsdale collected three RBI. In the circle, senior Danielle Kapral (Lapeer/East) allowed five hits and three runs in seven innings.
Olivet is back in action tomorrow when it hosts Kalamazoo College. The first pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 1 p.m.