The Alma College baseball team concluded their 2014 spring trip to Florida on Friday as they took two games from Hanover College (OH). With the wins, the Scots will bring home an overall record of 6-2, their best start in years.

Game one went to Alma by a score of 3-1, while the nightcap saw the Scots nip the Panthers by a 3-2 margin. Both contests were close and well played, with pitching and defense a top priority.

Game 1

The contest was scoreless through three full innings but Alma would strike for three runs in their half of the fourth. Sr. RF Alex Kravat (Auburn/Bay City Western) led off the frame with a single and then PR Alex Valasek (Saginaw/Nouvel Catholic) stole second. A strikeout, a hit batter and another strikeout put runners on first and second with two outs.

At that point, Jr. DH Mostafa Ghonim (East Elmhurst, NY/W.C. Bryant) reached on an error that scored the runner from second for a 1-0 lead. A single by Sr. 3B Bryan Goostrey (Jackson/East Jackson) and a walk by So. C A.J. Acton (Temecula, CA/Linfield Christian) led to two additional tallies and Alma had the 3-0 lead.

Hanover cut the Alma lead to 3-1 on a double and single in the bottom of the fifth inning, but would not be able to muster any additional offense in the game. They had runners on first and third in the sixth but could not get anyone across the plate, giving Alma the ability to hang on to the margin of victory.

Scots Sr. P Kevin Thompson (Petoskey/Petoskey) was outstanding on the mound to earn the win for Alma. He allowed just five hits and the one earned run on the day.

Game 2

The second game was equally tight and well executed, but the Scots again proved to be victorious at the end of seven innings. The difference in this contest is the fact that Alma had to come from behind to earn the win.

In the top of the third inning, the Panthers scratched across two runs off of Alma starting So. P Colin Nash (Brighton/Brighton) for a 2-0 advantage. With two outs, Hanover's nine spot hitter reached on an error, leading the way for the rally. It was followed by a double and two singles that accounted for the two tallies, both unearned.

Alma would answer with three runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth frame. Jr. 1B Blake Leddy (Saginaw/Swan Valley) and So. C Doug Walters (Brighton/Brighton) led of the inning with a single and hit batsman respectively. The two runners advanced a base on a passed ball, paving the way for Goostrey to knock in a run.

He did not disappoint, as he knocked in Leddy with a sacrifice that cut the deficit to 2-1. Fr. SS Alex Peczynski (Farmington Hills/Detroit Catholic Central) followed with a single that sent Walters across the plate. Peczynski then stole second base to put himself into scoring position as the go-ahead run. After a pop out, Kravat singled him home with what would prove to be the winning tally.

Hanover would get runners on base in each of the last two innings, but strong pitching by So. P Philip Jock (Wales/Memphis) would keep the Panthers at bay. Jock would end up being the pitcher of record as the Scots held on for the hard-fought 3-2 victory. Offensively, Peczynski finished the game three for three at the plate to spearhead the Scots from his leadoff spot in the order.