Softball team swept at Albion, 6-5 and 13-8

ALBION, Mich. – The Olivet College softball team was swept by Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Albion College in a doubleheader today at Dempsey Field in Albion. The Britons scored two runs in their last at-bat to win the first game, 6-5, and they plated eight runs over the final two innings to win the nightcap, 13-8.

In the first game, the Comets took a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Freshman Alyssa Neilsen (Greenville) and junior Kelsey Greene (Burr Oak) hit back-to-back singles, and junior Brooke Coshow (Niles/Brandywine) blasted a home run over the fence in left field. The homer was her seventh of the season, which moves her into second all-time at Olivet for a single-season.

The Britons answered with three runs in the second inning and one run in the third inning to take a 4-3 lead. The Comets tied the game at 4-4 in the fourth when Coshow led off the inning with a single, went to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a RBI-double by sophomore Ciara Santos (Lansing/Everett).

Olivet scored the go-ahead run in the sixth. Freshman Terri Hurosky (Nashville/Maple Valley) reached on an infield single, advanced to second on a fielder's choice out, stole third base and scored on a two-out single by sophomore Lindsey Maas (Pinckney). Albion scored two runs in the bottom half of the sixth to pull out the come-from-behind victory.

Offensively, Coshow and Greene each went 2-for-4. Five other players each had a base hit. The only extra base hit was Santos' double. In the circle, senior Katie Harper (Vassar) picked-up the loss, as she gave up the six runs (five earned) on seven hits.

Batting as the visiting team in the nightcap, the Britons took a 3-0 lead on a two-run home run in the first inning and RBI-double in the second. The Comets got one run back in the bottom half of the second when Hurosky reached on an error, moved to second on a groundout, to third on an infield single by Maas and scored on another infield single by junior Nicole Wernette (Remus/Chippewa Hills).

After Albion extended its lead to 5-1 with two runs in the top half of the third, Olivet used four singles in the bottom half of the inning to plate three runs and make the score 5-4. The first run was driven in by freshman Lauren Lenard (Lansing/Lansing Catholic) and the other two by junior Bridget Lathers (Grass Lake/Lumen Christi).

The Comets had a two-out rally and took their first lead with a pair of runs in the fourth. Santos drove in Wernette with the first run, and Santos scored on a double by Coshow. The Britons then took advantage of two Olivet errors in the sixth to score six times.

Albion also committed two errors when the Comets batted in their half of the sixth. Olivet scored only two runs and left the bases loaded. The Britons capped their scoring with a two-run home run in the seventh.  The Comets went down 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the inning.

Olivet finished the game with 14 hits. Lenard was 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI. Santos also had three hits, while Coshow and Wernette each had two. Nielsen and Santos scored two runs apiece. Sophomore Breanne Harmon (Quincy) started in the circle and threw five innings, allowing six earned runs on eight hits. Greene was charged with the loss, as she gave up the final seven runs (two earned) on seven hits.

Olivet will travel to Grand Rapids to play a doubleheader against Calvin College tomorrow afternoon, starting at 3:30 p.m.