Alexander’s gem helps baseball team split doubleheader with Alma

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team split a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) doubleheader with Alma College today at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. Alma won the first game 5-1. Behind a complete game, three-hitter by junior Sean Alexander (Fenton), the Comets won the nightcap, 1-0.

In the opener, the two teams traded runs in the first inning. Olivet got its run when senior Braydon LaFramboise (Flushing/Mt. Morris) walked, stole second and scored when junior Tyler Olinske (Negaunee) lined a single through the right-side of the infield. The Scots proceeded to score four unanswered runs, including three in the top half of the second.

The Comets were held to just two hits, Olinske's single and a single by sophomore Randy Young (Wixom/Walled Lake Western) to lead off the sixth. Sophomore Jay Magro (Bridgman) was the losing pitcher, as he allowed the five runs on 10 hits in six innings. Sophomore Justin Pitt (Imlay City) threw a scoreless inning of relief.

In the nightcap, Olivet scored the only run of the game in the second. Pitt led off the inning with a single. He stole second, went to third on a groundout and crossed the plate on a single by junior Austin Clark (Ossineke/Alpena). Alma threatened to tie the game in the fifth when it had runners on second and third with one, but a called strike out and ground out ended the inning. In the seventh, the Scots had the tying run in scoring position but failed to score.

Offensively, the Comets had five hits, including a 2-for-3 performance by senior Ben Kosmalski (Canton/Plymouth). Alexander used 106 pitches to complete his pitching gem, while striking out seven.

The teams will complete the four-game MIAA series tomorrow with a doubleheader at Alma's Klenk Park, starting at 1 p.m.