Softball team posts shutout split at Gene Cusic Classic

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Olivet College softball team split two shutouts today at the Gene Cusic Classic and at the Cape Coral Sports Complex in Cape Coral, Fla. In the opener, the Comets hit three home runs and freshman Nicole McCoy (Detroit/Mumford) went the distance in the circle to lead them to a 9-0 win over SUNY-Potsdam. In the second game, the Comets were shutout by NYU-Polytechnic, 1-0.

Against Potsdam, Olivet scored a run in the first inning on a RBI-double by senior catcher Christine Daub (Hudson). The Comets added another run in the third inning when junior right fielder Ciara Santos (Lansing/Everett) hit a RBI-single.

Olivet then erupted for five runs in the sixth inning. Sophomore Sarah Mecham (Eaton Rapids) led off the inning with a pinch-hit home run. On the first pitch, senior shortstop Brooke Coshow (Niles/Brandywine) hit a solo home run over the fence in centerfield. With the homer, she moves into a tie for third all-time at Olivet with eight. After Daub walked and Santos hit a single, junior designated player Alison Iuelle (Kentwood/Kelloggsville) blasted a 2-1 pitch over the fence for her second home run of the season.

The Comets capped their scoring with two runs in the seventh inning. With runners on second and third, Daub brought them both home with a single to left field.

Offensively, Olivet finished the game with a single-game, season-high nine runs on 15 hits. Five players had multi-hit games, led by Daub who went 3-for-4. Coshow recorded two hits and scored three runs. Also recording two hits were Santos, sophomore first baseman Lauren Lenard (Dimondale/Lansing Catholic) and sophomore left fielder Alyssa Nielsen (Greenville). McCoy threw 101 pitches allowed just three hits in gaining her first collegiate win.

The second game was a pitcher's duel between Olivet senior Rachel Cook (Traverse City/Central) and Polytechnic's Brianna Feist. The Comets had a runner thrown out at the plate in the bottom half of the sixth inning. The Lady Jays pushed across the only run in the top half of the seventh. Olivet left the tying run stranded in scoring position in its half of the seventh.

For the game, the Comets were limited to five hits. Lenard was 2-for-3 with two singles. The only extra base hit was a double by Coshow, which extended her hitting streak to eight games (six games this season and last two games of 2011 season). Cook was the hard luck losing pitcher, as she scattered five hits and did not walk a batter. She kept her defense active by inducing 16 groundouts.

Olivet will take tomorrow off and be back in action Sunday morning against Amherst (Mass.) College and St. Olaf (Minn.) College at 9 and 11 a.m., respectively.