Baseball team downed by Hope, 11-2

HOLLAND, Mich. – The Olivet College baseball team lost 8-1 to Hope College in the opening game of a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) series this afternoon at Boeve Stadium.

Final Score: Hope 11, Olivet 2
Location: Boeve Stadium; Holland, Michigan
Records: Olivet 6-16 overall, 1-7 MIAA; Hope 12-6 overall, 3-2 MIAA

• The Flying Dutchmen scored two runs in the second inning, one run in the third, two runs in the fourth and one run in the fifth to go up 6-0.
• After putting at least one runner on base in each of the first five innings, the Comets got on the scoreboard in the sixth when freshman Blake Hawkins hit a home run to lead off the inning.
• Hope increased its lead to 8-1 with a pair of runs in the seventh inning.
• Olivet plated its final run in the eighth on an RBI-triple by senior Ben Compton.
• The Flying Dutchmen ended the scoring with a three-run home half of eighth.

• Senior Matt Hewitt and sophomore Gabriel Kirck tallied two hits apiece.
• The lone Olivet extra-base hits were Hawkins' homer and Compton's triple.
• Senior pitcher Brendan Redding was charged with the loss. He gave up six runs on 10 hits over four and two-thirds innings.
• Three relief pitchers combined to throw the final three and one-third innings.

• Brant Kym and Evan Maday each had four hits in six plate appearances.
• Two of Maday's hits cleared the fence for solo home runs. The second of the two was a two-run dinger.
• Nolan Gardner had three hits, including two doubles, and drove in two runs.
• Al Money finished with two hits.
• Sean Hoey threw seven innings to earn the win and improve to 4-0 on the season. He scattered six hits, while striking out nine batters.
• Reese Crabtree tossed two innings of relief.

• The Comets and Flying Dutchmen wrap-up the series tomorrow with a doubleheader at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet, starting at 1 p.m.