Baseball team splits doubleheader against Trine

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team split a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) doubleheader against Trine (Ind.) University this afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. The Thunder held off a Comet rally in the seventh inning to win the first game, 5-3. In the nightcap, sophomore Riley Bennett hit a grand slam and sophomore Zac Walter threw a complete game to help Olivet beat the Thunder, 5-1.

THE BASICS
Final Scores: Trine 5, Olivet 3; Olivet 5, Trine 1
Location: Cutler Athletic Complex; Olivet, Mich.
Records: Trine 13-15 overall, 7-9 MIAA; Olivet 7-19 overall, 3-13 MIAA

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME ONE)

• The Thunder took a 2-0 lead with a two-run single in the third inning.
• The Comets scored one run and had a second runner thrown out at the plate in the home half of the sixth inning.
• Trine used another two-run single and wild pitch to plate three runs in the top half of the seventh.
• In Olivet's half of the seventh, freshman Junior Gomez drew a one-out walk. After the second out was recorded, freshman Ben Compton hit a two-run home run. Freshman Bruce Allen walked to bring the tying run to the plate but a pop-out ended the game.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet had just four hits in the game.
• Sophomore Aaron Gillespie had a triple over the center fielder's head.
• Freshman Ryan Rivard was the losing pitcher after yielding the first two runs on four hits over three innings.
• Senior Aiden Holliday struck out five but allowed three runs on one hit in three and one-third innings of relief.
• Senior Joseph Crosby recorded the final two outs in the seventh inning.

FOR THE THUNDER

• Cale Hall and Jacob Heller both went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
• Mike Gustin earned the win after giving up a run on three hits over six innings.
• Caleb Dieter threw the seventh inning.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME TWO)

• The Thunder had a two-out hit to score a run in the second inning.
• The Comets leveled the score at 1-1 in the fourth inning. Gillespie led off with a single up the middle, advanced to second on junior Dugan Dieselberg's single and came around to score on Gomez's single.
• Olivet had a two-out rally in the seventh inning. Freshman Logan Sella walked before going to third base on a single by junior Jake Robinson. Gillespie was intentionally walked. On a 1-2 pitch, Bennett hit the grand slam home run over the fence in left field.

FOR THE COMETS

• Bennett and Robinson each had two hits.
• Gillespie scored two runs.
• Walter scattered six hits, while striking out eight and not walking a batter in the complete game performance. He retired 21 of the final 23 batters that he faced.

FOR THE THUNDER

• Kevin O'Malley tallied two of Trine's six hits.
• Adam Wheaton was tagged with the pitching loss.

UP NEXT

• The Comets return to action Friday when they are on the road for a doubleheader at Alma College, beginning at 3 p.m.