OLIVET, Mich. - The Kalamazoo College baseball team traveled to Olivet to complete the three-game series with a single game on Sunday afternoon (Apr. 30). The Hornets won their third straight game over the Comets in seven innings by a score of 14-2. With this win, Kalamazoo moves to 16-2 in conference play and has clinched a share of the MIAA Regular Season Title. This is the first time since 1927 that a Kalamazoo baseball team has clinched that honor. The Hornets still have a three-game series against Adrian on May 5-6 with the opportunity to win the conference outright.
The Kalamazoo bats did not slow down from yesterday, scoring 12 of the 14 runs within the first three innings. Harrison Poeszat started the scoring with a one-out solo home run in the first inning for his fifth of the season. The Hornets took advantage of three walks and a hit-by-pitch in the second inning as two hits drove in six runs. Leo Schinker's infield single brought home Tanner Hawkins and Logan Lockhart. Then, Ryar Rinehart emptied the bases with his eighth home run and second grand slam of the season to take a 7-0 lead.
The third inning was just as successful with the first three Hornets reaching, and Schinker driving them all in on another grand slam for his first home run this year. Rinehart also picked up another RBI with a single that brought in Cooper Mills after he doubled. Poeszat singled in Alex Fenkell in the fifth inning as Kalamazoo took a 13-0 lead.
Braden Mussat (5-0) threw five scoreless innings in the win, allowing six hits and a walk while striking out eight. The Hornets added their last run in the sixth with Alex Fenkell bringing in Hawkins on an RBI groundout.
The sixth inning belonged to Dean Turpin as Olivet scored its first run of the game on two hits, with Turpin striking out a pair. Ben Van Nes closed out the game in the seventh, with the Comets scoring their second run.
Schinker (6), Rinehart (5), and Poeszat (2) drove in 13 of the 14 runs, with all three collecting two hits apiece. Mills also reached base three times with a double and two walks.
Kalamazoo is scheduled to play a makeup non-conference game at home against Defiance on Wednesday (May 3), beginning at 4 p.m.