Six homers help softball team open MIAA play with doubleheader sweep at Kalamazoo

Hurosky ties an NCAA record for home runs in an inning

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Olivet College softball team hit six home runs in a doubleheader sweep of Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Kalamazoo College at the Versluis Dickinson Park in Kalamazoo. In the first game, the Comets hit four home runs, including two by sophomore Terri Hurosky (Nashville/Maple Valley), and senior Rachel Cook (Traverse City/Central) threw her third straight shutout in a 19-0 win. In the second game, senior Brooke Coshow (Niles/Brandywine) blasted two home runs, including a grand slam, in an 18-5 win.

In the opener, Olivet led 4-0 after two innings, 5-0 after three and 7-0 after four. The Comets then erupted for 12 runs on nine hits in the fifth inning.

Overall, every Comet starter at least recorded one hit or scored a run. Junior leadoff hitter Alison Iuelle (Kentwood/Kelloggsville) reached base safely in all five of her plate appearances, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored and four RBI. Junior Marlene Packer (Grand Rapids/Creston) also went 3-for-3 at the dish and was a single shy of hitting for the cycle. Packer along with junior Lindsey Maas (Pinckney) scored four runs apiece, and Maas had two RBI. Hurosky was 3-for-3 with her two home runs, as well as two runs scored and five RBI.

Sophomore Alyssa Nielsen (Greenville) and senior Christine Daub (Hudson) had two hits and two RBI apiece. Junior Ciara Santos (Lansing/Everett) scored twice and drove in two runs. In the circle, Cook needed only 78 pitches to gain the complete game win. She scattered three hits and struck out five batters, while facing only 20 batters.

Batting in the top half of the first inning, the Hornets scored a run. Olivet quickly answered with six runs in the bottom half of the inning. The first big hit of the inning was a two-run double by Packer. Coshow then hit her first home run, a three-run shot.

The Comets added an unearned run in the second inning and busted the game open with a 10-run third inning. With the bases loaded, Iuelle cleared them with a double in the left-centerfield gap. Later in the inning, Daub hit a two-run single. Hurosky had an RBI-single to load the bases. Coshow capped the inning with a grand slam home run deep over the fence in leftfield.

Olivet closed its scoring with a run in the fourth when Iuelle and Daub hit back-to-back doubles. Kalamazoo scored four runs in the fifth inning.

Offensively, the Comets banged out 14 hits, including half for extra bases. Daub went 4-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI. Coshow was 3-for-3 with an Olivet single-game record seven RBI. Iuelle and Nielsen were each 2-for-3. Iuelle had two doubles, while scoring three runs and driving in three runs. Hurosky, Nielsen, Packer and Santos scored two runs apiece.

In the circle, freshman Jessica Duell (Ionia) earned her first collegiate victory. She gave up the five runs on five hits, and struck out three.

The Comets will travel to play Alma College Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.

NOTES: With her two home runs today, Coshow moved into second all-time at Olivet. She has 10 career homers and now needs three to tie Kacey Darling's record. Also, Hurosky's two home runs in the fifth inning of game one ties an NCAA record for most home runs in an inning.