Due to the poor spring weather, the Alma College Baseball team finally were able to play at home as they hosted Trine University in a league doubleheader at Klenk Park. The Scots took game one 9-2 before dropping a tough 8-5 decision in eight innings in the nightcap. Alma is now 2-8 in the MIAA and 6-13 overall, while Trine finishes the day at 11-10 in 2013 and 7-5 in the league.

Alma jumped out to a 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning of the first game as Fr. CF John Mireles (Lansing, Mich./East Lansing) bunt singled with one out and stole second. The next batter, So. P Jose Velez (Tampa, Fla./South Fort Myers) hit a two-run homer to right field.

After the Thunder scored a run in the top of the second, Alma responded with five of their own in the bottom of the frame. The Scots had four hits in the inning with one Trine error, but the big blow was a grand slam homerun by Velez that sailed over the fence down the right field line and put the home team ahead 7-1.

The Thunder made it 7-2 in the top of the third before Alma added the final two runs of the game in the bottom of the fourth. Singles by Sr. 3B Matthew Cresswell (St. Louis, Mich./St. Louis), Sr. SS Ryan Henris (Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel Catholic) and Mireles (RBI) led to the run.

Velez recorded the win as he threw five innings, allowing two hits and one earned run. He had one walk and nine strikeouts. So. P Eric Strickler (Lapeer, Mich./Lapeer East) threw one perfect inning and Fr. P Matt Launstein (Flushing, Mich./Flushing) added a perfect seventh to preserve the win.

In game two, the Scots again struck first with a single run in the bottom of the first after Velez doubled with two outs and So. 2B Jose Rosado (Corona, NY/Bryant) doubled to knock him across the plate. Trine then scored two runs on three hits in the top of the third off of Alma Jr. P Kevin Thompson (Petoskey, Mich./Petoskey).

Alma answered right away with two of their own in the bottom of the third frame when Velez reached on an error and scored on a double by Rosado. Then a ground out scored by Mireles scored Rosado, giving the Scots a 3-2 lead.

Each team scored one run in the fourth and it stayed at 4-3 heading into the top of the seventh inning. The Thunder scored a single run off relief pitcher Launstein to tie the game at 4-4 in a half inning that saw a disputed call keep the frame alive for Trine.

The teams headed into an extra eighth inning and Trine knocked around Launstein for four runs on four hits to take a 8-4 lead. The Scots didn't go without a fight though as a single by Henris with two outs scored Mireles to cut it to 8-5. However, Cresswell grounded out in the next at bat to end the game.

Thompson pitched five innings and allowed eight hits and three earned runs with two walks and a strikeout. Strickler pitched the sixth with no runs allowed and one walk. Launstein took the loss for the Scots, while Fr. P Blake Ordiway (Holly, Mich./Holly) got the final out of the eighth inning.

At the plate in the loss, Mireles finished two for four with one run and one RBI and Rosado also had two hits in four at bats with two runs batted in and one run scored. Henris also contributed two runs batted in for the Scots.

The Scots are scheduled to host Olivet College on Monday afternoon at Klenk Park. First pitch is at 2:00 p.m.