Softball team splits two season-opening games at Gene Cusic Classic

The Olivet College softball team split the first two games of the 2010 season today at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. In their season-opener, the Comets defeated Bethany Lutheran (Minn.) College, 7-2, and in the second game, they fell to Heidelberg (Ohio) University, 5-2.

Against Bethany Lutheran, Olivet scored two runs in the first and second innings. After the Vikings trimmed their deficit in half with two runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning, the Comets pushed across three runs in the top half of the seventh inning.

In the first inning, senior Jenny Robbins (Fenton) led off the game with a single and went to second base on a slap bunt single by sophomore Cortney Wernette (Remus/Chippewa Hills). A single by junior Christine Daub (Hudson) loaded the bases. Freshman Meghan Case (Vassar) moved everyone up one base, including scoring Robbins, with a sacrifice fly to centerfield. A walk re-loaded the bases, and junior Morgan Iloncaie (Port Huron/Imlay City) followed with a RBI-single, scoring Cortney Wernette.

Olivet used a two-out rally to push across the two runs in the second inning. Robbins and Wernette got on base with back-to-back hits. Sophomore Kelsey Greene (Burr Oak) brought home Robbins with the first run. Daub then hit a single through the right-side of the infield, which scored Cortney Wernette.

Bethany Lutheran scored its two runs on a two-run double in the sixth. Daub started the inning with an infield hit. She went to third on a throwing error and came around to score on a RBI-single by sophomore Mallory Schug (Climax/Galesburg-Augusta). Freshman Breanna Bunker (Charlotte) got on base with a fielder's choice. Sophomore Nicole Wernette (Remus/Chippewa Hills) kept the inning alive, reaching base on a fielding error by the Viking shortstop. Robbins then ripped a double to the left-centerfield gap, scoring Schug and Bunker.

For the game, the Comets had 14 hits, including a 4-4 performance for Daub. Robbins went 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Bunker and Cortney Wernette each had two hits. In the circle, junior Katie Harper (Vassar) threw six innings to earn the win. She allowed two earned runs off six hits, while striking out five and not walking a batter. Sophomore Rachel Cook (Traverse City/Central) pitched a perfect seventh inning, striking two of the three batters she faced.

Against Heidelberg, Olivet scored one run in the first and second innings. The Student Princes tied the game at 2-2 with two runs in the fifth and then pushed across the go-ahead runs in the seventh.

In the first inning, Cortney Wernette got all the way to third base when the third baseman threw her batted ball into rightfield. Daub laced a two-out double to score her. Freshman Alyssa Snyder (Imlay City) scored the run in the second inning.

The Comets finished the game with nine hits to eight for Heidelberg. Snyder led the way with two singles. Seven others had one hit apiece. Extra base hits were doubles by Daub, Greene and Schug. In the circle, Greene was charged with the loss after throwing six and two-thirds innings, giving up five runs (four earned) off eight hits. She struck out six and walked one. Cook entered the game in relief of Greene and got the final out.

Olivet continues play at the Gene Cusic Classic tomorrow at 1 p.m. when it plays Worcester Polytechnic (Mass.) Institute. Following that game, the Comets will play College of Wooster (Ohio) at approximately 3 p.m. Both games will be played at the Cape Coral Sports Complex.