Baseball team sweeps Principia, 18-0 and 26-2

ELSAH, Ill.  – The Olivet College baseball team swept a non-league doubleheader against Principia (Ill.) College this afternoon at Cheatham Stadium. Behind six solid pitching innings from senior Brendan Redding, the Comets shutout the Panthers, 18-0, in game one. In game two, Olivet broke the school single-game runs record to beat Principia, 26-2, to also complete the weekend series sweep.

Final Score: Olivet 18, Principia 0; Olivet 26, Principia 2 (5)
Location: Cheatham Stadium; Elsah, Illinois
Records: Olivet 3-4 overall, Principia 0-3 overall

• The Comets scored at least one run in each of the seven innings.
• In the first, Olivet pushed across four runs. The big hit of the inning was a solo home run by senior Logan Sella.
• The Comets added to their lead with three runs in the second, including two coming around to score on freshman Blake Hawkins' single.
• Three more Olivet runs were scored in the third on RBI-singles by Sella and senior John Kortz, and bases-loaded walk to senior Ben Compton.
• In the fourth, the Comets needed just two hits to score four runs. Senior Gabriel Kirck drove in a pair of runs with a triple.
• Olivet plated two runs in the fifth on an RBI-double by senior Matt Fisher and RBI-single by Sella.
• The Comets capped the scoring with single tallies in both the sixth and seventh innings.

• On the mound, Redding scattered three hits over the first six innings to earn his first win of the season. He struck out seven and walked two batters.
• At the plate, Olivet recorded 17 total hits and did not commit an error on defense.
• From the leadoff spot in the lineup, Fisher went 3-for-4 with three doubles, four runs scored and two RBI.
• Sella was 4-for-5 with four singles, four runs scored and four RBI.
• Kirck had two hits, drove in three runs, and scored three runs.
• Hawkins tallied two hits and two RBI.

• Jack Adler recorded two of three Principia hits.
• Salvador Flores had the third hit.
• Alejandro Zozaya was the losing pitcher, as he surrendered 10 runs (seven earned) on nine hits over the first three innings.                                                                                                                                                                                 

• Olivet scored three runs in the first inning and nine runs in the second inning. The Comets then sent 17 batters to the plate and plated 14 runs in the third inning.
• The Panthers scored two runs in the fourth inning.

• At the plate, junior Sylas Woll tallied two hits, but one was a grand slam home run to cap the 14-run third inning. For the game, he drove in six runs, which is tied for the second-most RBI in a game at Olivet since the 2003 season.
• Junior James Harris was 3-for-3 with a solo home run, three runs and three RBI.
• Junior Tyler Campbell also had three hits and three runs.
• Hawkins and Fisher finished the game with five and four RBI, respectively.
• Sophomore Logan O'Connor scored four runs.
• Hawkins hit a three-run home run.
• Senior Max Daust picked-up the pitching win. He allowed both runs on nine hits over four and two-thirds innings. Senior Andrew Downer recorded the final out.

• Adler went 3-for-3 with an RBI.
• Casey Golbiw and Chris Strong each had two hits.
• Adler was the losing pitcher, as he gave up the three first-inning runs in his only inning of work on the mound.

• The Comets play a three-game series next Saturday and Sunday, March 12-13, at Wilmington (Ohio) College. On Saturday, Olivet plays a doubleheader against the Quakers, starting at 11 a.m., and on Sunday, it plays a single game, beginning at 12 p.m.