The 2013 Alma College Baseball team, under the direction of new Head Coach Scott Kingston, opened up their season on Sunday with a doubleheader against Hanover College. The Scots split two games with the Panthers, winning game one 3-2 and dropping the nightcap 7-2.

In the first game, Hanover jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, but Alma tied it at 1-1 in the fourth. The Panthers made it 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth by scoring a run off of Scots starting pitcher Fr. Colin Nash (Brighton, Mich./Brighton).

But the Scots kept chipping away and scored single runs in the sixth and eighth innings for the 3-2 margin of victory. So. P Jose Velez (Tampa, Fla./South Ft. Myers) pitched 2.1 shutout innings in relief and picked up the victory, as he struck out six batters while on the mound.

Alma had five hits in the win and were led by Velez who went two for three, including two solo home runs and a walk. The Scots' other run was also the result of the long ball, as So. IF Jose Rosado (Corona, NY/Bryant) belted his first homer of the season.

Hanover controlled game two from the outset, scoring two in the top of the first inning and the Panthers never trailed. The Scots mustered only three hits in the loss, with Sr. IF Ryan Henris (Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel Catholic) accounting for two of them.

The Panthers scored single runs in the fourth and sixth that sandwiched a three-run fifth frame off of Alma starting and losing pitcher Fr. Philip Jock (Wales, Mich./Memphis). On the day, Jock went 5.2 innings and gave up eight hits and seven runs (five earned) while striking out three. Sr. P Mitch Wilson (Rudyard, Mich./Rudyard) threw 1.1 innings, allowing one hit and striking out two.