KALAMAZOO, Mich. – After taking the first two games of its four-game series with Olivet College yesterday, the Kalamazoo College baseball team completed its sweep of the Comets Sunday afternoon at Woodworth Field.
The Hornets took game one, 4-1, and game two, 13-6.
Game One
Dylan Pierce took the mound for the Hornets and gave up an early run in the top of the first, but Pierce locked down the Comets in his final four innings of work while his offense backed him.
Kalamazoo got itself on the board in the bottom of the third on a David Kracht single through the right side scoring Ryan Orr.
The Hornets broke the deadlock in the bottom of the fifth when singles from Kracht, Jack Clark and Mitchell VanKoevering each drove in runs giving Kalamazoo a definitive 4-1 lead.
Pierce ended his day throwing five innings and was credited with the win. He gave up just the one run, unearned, and surrendered four hits.
Clark, Kracht and Brett Garwood each led the way offensively in game one going 2-for-3. Kracht ended with a game-high two RBIs.
Earning the save for Kalamazoo was Scott Zychowski.
Game Two
Olivet once again struck early scoring a run in the top of the first but the Hornets came right back with three runs of their own in the bottom half highlighted by an RBI single to right center from Clark.
Kalamazoo never trailed the rest of the game and scored in every inning except for the fourth.
Olivet threatened to tie the score and even take the lead as they loaded the bases down two in the top of the sixth but Garrett Swanson, who came on in relief with one out, limited the damage allowing just one of the inherited runners to score on a sacrifice fly.
Kalamazoo put the game away in the bottom half of the inning taking advantage of some sloppy play from the Comets. The Hornets added four runs on one hit, two errors and two hit by pitches.
Clark went a perfect 3-for-3 in game two including a triple as he led the Hornets to 14 total hits.
Also recording multiple hit games for the Hornets were Kracht, Garwood and Jordan Wiley.
Connor Grant recorded a game-high three RBIs including a solo home run to left field in the eighth.
Kalamazoo, now 13-7 in the MIAA, will take a mid-week break from conference play as it travels to Ohio Northern on Tuesday, April 26 for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.