Baseball team splits doubleheader at Saint Xavier

CRESTWOOD, Ill. – The Olivet College baseball team split a non-league doubleheader against Saint Xavier (Ill.) University this afternoon at Ozinga Field. The Cougars won the first game, 7-3. Olivet used an RBI-double by junior Ben Compton to win the nightcap, 3-2, in eight innings.

Final Scores: Saint Xavier 7, Olivet 3; Olivet 3, Saint Xavier 2 (8)
Location: Ozinga Field; Crestwood, Illinois
Records: Olivet 1-3 overall, Saint Xavier 7-8 overall

• The Cougars took a 5-0 lead with three runs in the first inning, and single tallies in the third and fourth innings.
• Olivet trimmed its deficit down to 5-3 with a pair of runs in the fifth inning and one run in the sixth inning.
• Saint Xavier answered with two runs in their half of the sixth.

• Olivet finished the game with four hits, with two going for extra bases.
• Junior Matt Hewitt hit a triple and scored on a wild pitch in the sixth.
• Sophomore John Kortz had a double.
• On the mound, senior Max Daust suffered the pitching loss after yielding five runs on seven hits over four innings.

• Griffin Bright and Noah Valin had identical batting lines, 2-for-3 with a run scored and RBI.
• Extra base hits were a double by Declan Smyth and triple by Evan Orzech.
• Luke Whirity was the winning pitcher after throwing the first four innings. He gave zero runs on two hits.
• Caleb Zeihr earned the save after tossing the final inning and one-third.

• The Cougars grabbed a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the third inning.
• The score stayed 2-0 until the top of the sixth inning when senior Logan Sella hit a two-run single to tie the game.
• The game went to extra innings. In the top of eighth, junior Matt Fisher drew a four-pitch walk. After the second out was recorded, Fisher advanced to second on a wild pitch and then came around to score on Compton's double into the leftfield corner.
• In the home half of the eighth inning, Saint Xavier left the tying run stranded on base, as the final batter of the game struck out looking.

• Compton went 2-for-3 with two doubles.
• Freshman Matthew Fennell also had two hits, a pair of singles.
• Junior Hunter Henson started on the mound and did not allow a hit in his only inning.
• Freshman Keegan Kuha threw the next three and one-third innings, and allowed the two runs on three hits. He struck out four.
• Sophomore Ryan Upton earned the pitching win after throwing the final three and two-thirds innings. He gave up two hits, while striking out seven and walking nobody.

• Five players each had a hit, with the lone extra base hit being a double by Declan Smyth.
• Kyle Ruppert suffered the pitching loss after yielding the final run.

• Today's games were the first in school history against Saint Xavier.
• The last time the Comets played an extra-inning game was May 5, 2019.
• Olivet has an 8-5 record in its last 13 extra-inning contests.

• "It's always a great day when we're able to get a win, especially on the road against a really strong program like Saint Xavier," said Olivet head coach Shelby Dixon. "It was not a perfect day but an awesome showing of competitiveness, toughness and grit from our guys today. The goal is to now carry this momentum into the weekend and continue to get better at each opportunity."

• On Friday, the Comets play a nine-inning, non-conference game at Hope College. First pitch at Boeve Field is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.