Senior pitchers Fisher and Magro help baseball team sweep Kalamazoo

OLIVET, Mich. – Seniors Kyle Fisher and Jay Magro earned pitching wins in their final collegiate starts, as the Olivet College swept a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) doubleheader from Kalamazoo College this afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. The Comets scored a run in the bottom half of the sixth to win game one, 5-4, and hung on to win the nightcap, 11-7.

In game one, Olivet took a 1-0 lead with a run in the first inning when senior Randy Young lined a single to right-center field to score sophomore Beau Langs, who led off the inning with a double. The Comets stretched their lead to 3-0 with a pair of runs in the second inning on a two-run single by junior Dylan Betcher. Olivet added an unearned run in the third to make the score 4-0.

The Hornets plated one run in the fourth and two runs in the fifth without the benefit of a base hit and hitting the ball out of the infield. Kalamazoo evened the score at 4-4 with a run in the top half of the sixth inning on a RBI-double.

The Comets manufactured the go-ahead run in the last half of the sixth. Junior Jonny Zawacki hit a double just inside the right field line to start the inning. He went to third when the Hornet second baseman misplayed a ball off the bat of sophomore Drew Thompson. Junior Joel Peters grounded into a double play, but Zawacki scored the run.

At the plate, Olivet had eight hits. Zawacki went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, while Betcher was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Also recording base hits were Langs, Thompson, Brawley and senior Andrew Brawley. On the mound, Fisher threw the first six innings, giving up three earned runs on three hits. Zawacki pitched the seventh inning for his first collegiate save.

After Kalamazoo scored two runs in the top half of the first inning of game two, the Comets responded with three runs in their half of the frame. Langs scored the first run on a wild pitch, and Thompson drove in two runs when he lined a 0-1 pitch up the middle.

The Hornets tied the game at 3-3 with a run in the second. Olivet re-gained the lead with a four-run third inning. The big hit of the inning was a two-run single by sophomore Peter Panos. The Comets extended their lead to 8-3 in the fourth inning on Thompson's third RBI hit of the game. Olivet added an unearned run in the fifth to go up 9-3.

Kalamazoo scored three runs in the sixth to cut its deficit to 9-6 but the Comets escaped further damage with an inning-ending double play. Olivet added two insurance runs in its half of sixth on Panos' RBI-double. The Hornets scored a run in the seventh before Magro struck out the last batter.

The Comets posted 12 hits in the game. Panos and Thompson each collected three hits and four RBI. Sophomore Joey Myers reached base safely in all four of his plate appearances on two walks and two doubles. He also scored three runs. Zawacki also had two hits, while Brawley had a triple and two runs scored.

On the mound, Magro tossed 108 pitches in his complete game win. He allowed the seven runs on 12 hits.

Olivet finishes the season with a 20-20 overall record and were fifth in the MIAA standings with a 13-15 mark.