Baseball team defeats Finlandia, 14-0; Five pitchers combine to throw no-hitter

Five Olivet College pitchers combined to a throw a no-hitter and the Fighting Comet baseball team defeated non-conference foe Finlandia University, 14-0, this afternoon in Olivet. The no-hitter is the second in school history.

Junior Dustin Bolt (St. Joseph High School) pitched the first two innings and struck out two batters. Freshman Brian Schaeffer (Mason High School) pitched two innings. Senior Josh Kellogg (Morley Stanwood High School) struck out three batters in an inning of work and freshmen Brad Dragicevich (Kalamazoo Central High School) and Zach Langford (Marshall High School) pitched the sixth and seventh inning, respectively. The pitchers combined to walk two batters, and only one runner reached second base.

At the plate, freshman first baseman Chris Shelhart (Rolling Meadows, Ill./St. Viator) was four-for-five with two singles, one double, one triple, two runs scored and a RBI. Senior centerfielder Beau Locker (Coldwater/Union City High School) had two base hits, including a grand slam home run in the fourth inning. Freshman catcher Kory Lopez (Grand Ledge/Lansing Catholic Central High School) hit a solo home run.

Senior designated hitter Ricky Strain (Livonia Churchill High School) was two-for-three. Junior shortstop Ben Thomas (Kalamazoo/Comstock Park High School) walked three times and scored two runs. Sophomore Jason Rooley (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/Korah) drove in a pair of runs.

Olivet is next in action this Friday-Saturday, April 9-10 when it travels to Alma College for Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association series. On Friday, the two teams will play a nine-inning game at 4 p.m., followed two seven-inning contests on Saturday at 1 p.m.