Baseball team splits doubleheader at Wabash

The Olivet College baseball team split a doubleheader against Wabash (Ind.) College this afternoon at Mud Hollow Field in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The Fighting Comets won the first game, 4-3, in eight innings and lost the nightcap, 4-2.

In the first game, Olivet tied the game at 3-3 in the seventh inning when junior Matt Hurley (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/White Pines) hit a single to rightfield and stole second base. He then scored when freshman Bo Ford (Redford/Warren Mott High School) reached second base on error by the Wabash shortstop.

Freshman Korey Lopez (Grand Ledge High School) was hit by a pitch to start the eighth inning, stole second, moved to third on a passed ball and scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly by senior Beau Locker (Coldwater/Union City High School).

At the plate, junior Chris Stambek (Decatur High School) collected two hits, including a RBI double in the third inning. On the mound, freshman Zach Langford (Marshall High School) picked-up the victory. He pitched a complete game, four-hitter.

In the nightcap, Olivet pounded out 10 base hits but six errors led to four unearned runs. Junior Brian Grappin (Flushing High School), sophomore Chris Shelhart (Rolling Meadows, Ill./St. Viator) and senior Ricky Strain (Livonia Churchill High School) had two hits apiece. Strain and Ben Thomas (Kalamazoo/Comstock Park High School) each drove in a run for the Comets.

Freshman Brad Dragicevich (Kalamazoo Central High School) suffered the loss on the mound and pitched six solid innings. He allowed five base hits and struck out four batters.

The Comets will next be in action when they play a single nine-inning game at Concordia University on Tuesday, March 23 at 3 p.m.