Baseball team splits home-opening doubleheader against Albion

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team split its home-opening doubleheader against Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Albion College this afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. After being shut out in the opener, the Comets salvaged the split with a 6-5 victory in the nightcap.

THE BASICS
Final Scores: Albion 10, Olivet 0; Olivet 6, Albion 5
Location: Cutler Athletic Complex; Olivet, Mich.
Records: Albion 5-10 overall, 3-1 MIAA; Olivet 5-9 overall, 1-3 MIAA

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME ONE)

• The Britons scored the only run they would need in the first inning on a solo home run.
• Albion added to its lead with an eight-run fourth inning. During the inning, there was a three-run homer and a grand slam home run.
• The Britons capped their scoring with a solo home run in the seventh inning.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet finished the game with just three hits – singles by sophomore Aaron Gillespie and juniors Dugan Diesleberg and Jake Robinson.
• Freshman Domanic Smith suffered the pitching loss, as he gave up the first seven runs on six hits over three and one-third innings.

FOR THE BRITONS

• Jack Wyman hit two home runs and drove in five runs.
• Mitch Shedlowsky threw all seven innings to pick-up the complete game victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME TWO)

• Albion scored one run and left the bases loaded in the top half of the first inning.
• The Comets immediately answered with three runs in the home half of the first. Robinson lined a single up the middle, advanced to second on a ground out and scored on freshman Junior Gomez's single. Dieselberg then blasted a two-run home run.
• The Britons tied the game with a two-run home run in the third inning.
• Olivet went ahead 4-3 when Gomez hit a home run in the sixth inning.
• Albion pushed across a pair of runs in the seventh inning to go ahead 5-4.
• The Comets plated the tying and go-ahead runs in the eighth inning. Freshman Ben Compton led off the inning with a single, went to second on a passed ball, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and came around to score on Gillespie's double down the left field line. Gillespie then hustled around the bases to score when the short stop misplayed the ball hit by Dieselberg.
• In the ninth inning, the Britons left the tying run stranded in scoring position.

FOR THE COMETS

• Compton, Gomez and senior Colton Dawdy each collected two hits.
• Dieselberg and Gomez had two RBI apiece.
• Freshman Ryan Rivard started on the mound and gave up four runs (two earned) on six hits over six innings but did not factor in the pitching decision.
• Senior Aiden Holliday tossed two innings of relief to pick-up the win.
• Senior Joseph Crosby threw the ninth inning to earn his second save of the season.

FOR THE BRITONS

• Riley Stesiak recorded three hits and scored two runs from the leadoff spot in the lineup.
• Andrew Fabry threw the first seven innings and allowed four runs on seven innings.
• Kellan Huang was the losing pitcher after giving up the final two runs on two hits.

UP NEXT

• Olivet faces Hope College for its next MIAA series. The first two games are Thursday, March 29, at the Cutler Athletic Complex, starting at 2 p.m., and the final two games are Saturday, March 31, at Boeve Stadium in Holland, starting at 1 p.m.