May 3, 2008

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

ADRIAN, Mich. - The race for the conference regular season title will come down to four more games against Alma after Adrian took two from Olivet on Saturday by the scores of 6-0 and 5-2. Senior Bobby Rickstad threw a four-hit complete game shutout in game one improving to 4-2. Rickstad's third shutout of the season featured two walks and five strikeouts as he threw 111 pitches to the Comets.

Adrian scored three runs in the bottom of the third to open the scoring in game one. Andrew Anderson doubled down the left field line with one out to start the rally. Todd Meyers followed with a single to deep second base to put runners on the corners. Nate Sarkissian hit into a fielder's choice which scored Anderson with the first run. Alex Cowart singled to left field and Sarkissian went from first to third on the play. Sarkissian scored on the next play as Cowart went to second on a wild pitch and Sarkissian beat the throw home. Rickstad walked to put runners on first and third again before Brian Bilius singled home Cowart with the third run.

Adrian scored one more in the fourth and two more in the fifth to put insurance runs on the board. Alexander Younce doubled with one out in the fourth and later came around to score on a passed ball. Steve Vanderheyden and Jake Cappelletty hit back-to-back home runs with two outs in the fifth. It was Vanderheyden's fifth of the year and Cappelletty's second, both coming against Olivet.

Junior Alex Webster picked up his seventh win against no losses in game two but needed four Bulldog runs in the bottom of the sixth. Webster faced one batter in the seventh allowing a single before Nick Vandike entered the game to tally his fourth save of the season. Vandike walked his first batter but got the next three outs in order including a one-out strikeout.

Adrian trailed 2-1 going into the bottom of the sixth and got things going with a leadoff walk to Rickstad. Ted Mahan, Olivet's manager, was ejected after the play for arguing balls and strikes. Vanderheyden reached third with one out after a RBI double and error by center fielder Ryan Hodges tying the game at 2-2. Younce singled through the left side for the game-winning RBI to score Vanderheyden. Anderson doubled down the right field line sending Younce to third and Meyers hit a big double down the right field line for two RBI and a 5-2 lead.

Meyers had three hits in the leadoff spot on the day. Younce collected four hits in six at-bats in the eighth spot. Adrian had 11 hits in each game improving to 27-9 overall and 19-5 in the MIAA.