UOlivet wins 9-6 at Grace Christian

KENTWOOD, Mich. – The University of Olivet baseball team defeated Grace Christian University, 9-6, in a non-conference contest this afternoon at Kellogg Woods Park.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Grace Christian 9, Olivet 6
• Location: Kellogg Woods Park; Kentwood, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 8-28 overall, Grace Christian 8-19 overall

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• In the second inning, sophomore Austin Alflen hit a leadoff single, advanced to second on a wild, went to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly by junior Mikey Kuzara. The Tigers answered with a run in the bottom half of the third.
• The Comets quickly responded when senior Mason Cook deposited the first pitch of the fourth inning over the fence in left field for a home run. Olivet added to its lead in the fifth inning. Sophomore Jack Friesen walked, followed by a single by sophomore EJ Suggitt. A double to the left-center gap by Alflen scored Friesen. Cook then roped a double to the right-center alley to plate Suggitt and Alflen.
• Atter Grace Christian pushed across two runs in their half of the fifth, Olivet countered with two runs in its half of the sixth inning. Junior Tyler Duncan hit a solo home run, and senior Ben Helgevold crossed the plate on junior Isaac Moore's RBI-single.
• The Tigers scored a run in the last part of the sixth to make the score 7-4. Grace Christian loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth. After a pitching change by the Comets, the next Tiger batter flew out on the first pitch thrown to him.
• Olivet plated two insurance runs in the top of the ninth. Grace Christian scored two runs and brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom half of the inning. A strikeout ended the game.

FOR THE COMETS

• For the game, Olivet recorded 15 hits. Duncan was 3-for-4 with a single, double and home run. He also scored two runs. Alflen, Cook and senior Brendan Monroe each had two hits.
• On the mound, sophomore Logan Lewis earned the win, allowing four runs on eight hits over six innings. Freshman Ryan Lee pitched a scoreless inning of relief. Sophomore Alex Tushim recorded twos out in the eighth. Freshman Carter Peterson got the final out of the eighth and threw the ninth inning to pick-up the save.

UP NEXT

• Olivet ends its season with a weekend series against Trine (Ind.) University. The Comets and Thunder start the series Friday with a nine-inning game at Jannen Field in Angola, starting at 4 p.m. The series finishes Sunday afternoon with a doubleheader at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet, beginning at 1 p.m.