ALMA, Mich. - Alma College softball won twice Saturday, defeating Wittenberg 5-0 and 12-4, respectively. The Scots got solid performances from veteran pitchers Leigh Ann LaFave (Bark River/Escanaba) and Melissa Tavidian (New Hudson/South Lyon).
Game one saw the Scots defeat the Tigers, 5-0. Anne Westerman led off the game with a double into left field and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Megan Knochel (Pinconning) before Laura Bell (Walled Lake/Western) and Megan Colligan (Northville/Novi) went down swinging to end the inning. Senior pitcher Leigh Ann LaFave allowed the first base runner of the afternoon in the second inning with a single up the middle from Grace Wigton.
The third inning saw Westerman double to right and try to take third on a single from Knochel before Westerman was thrown out at third base.
The Maroon and Cream got on the board in the fifth inning when Shannon Harrington (Dewitt/St. Johns) started things off, taking a base on balls. Emily Blahnik (Corunna) flew out to center for the inning's first out before Audra Reynolds (Six Lakes/Montabella) took first on a fielder's choice and Harrington moved to second with a fielding error by the shortstop. With Mary Pietsch (Rogers City) at the plate, Reynolds and Harrington moved ahead on a passed ball before Pietsch flew out to right field. The Tigers loaded the bases with an intentional walk to Westerman. Knochel stepped to the plate and knocked a ball deep into left and the left fielder seemingly had the ball covered but missed the catch, allowing Knochel on base and scoring Harrington and Reynolds.
The ensuing inning saw Alma lead off with a walk to Bell with Angi Asam (Rogers City) pinch running. Colligan stepped up while Wittenberg made a pitching change in the middle of her at-bat and with a single into left center Julie Lee (Fruitport) entered the game to pinch run. Amy Gaudard (Mt. Pleasant) stepped in with a perfectly executed bunt to move both runners ahead and a fielding error from the shortstop allowed both Asam and Lee to score before Kim Light (Howell/Hartland) ground out to the first baseman and Reynolds and Lisa Cook (Alma/St. Louis) went down swinging.
Anne Westerman went 2-for-2 with one run while Megan Knochel went 1-for-3, knocking in three runs. LaFave pitched a complete seven-inning game, scattering six hits while striking out five for her fifth win of the season.
Alma was pushed to the limit in game two and used a big eight-run sixth inning to come out on top of Wittenberg 12-4. With the game tied heading into the bottom of the sixth the Scots needed to find an offensive spark. A leadoff sinbgle by Kim Light (Howell/Hartland) would turn into the first run of the inning, when she scored on an RBI single by Harrington. The rest of the runs - all seven of them - came with two outs and was highlighted by Colligan's two-RBI double, and home runs by freshman Liana Easterby (Troy), and senior Eileen Butler (Vestaburg). For Butler it was her second consecutive game with a homerun.
For the game Light, Knochel, Amy Gaudard and Butler all had two hits. Colligan and Butler took RBI honors for the game with three and two respectively.
The Scots, 14-6 (2-0 MIAA), return to the diamond April 6th, when they host Adrian College. Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
