Friday afternoon, the Alma College baseball team traveled to Grand Rapids to take on MIAA rival Calvin College in a league doubleheader. The Scots came up short in two tightly contested games - 4-3 and 3-1 as the home team was able to hold off the visitors comeback attempts.

With the defeats, the Scots dropped to 14-14 overall this season and 8-10 in the MIAA, while the Knights improved to 11-7 in the league and 17-11 for the 2014 campaign.

Game 1

The opening game was a tight pitching affair from the beginning as Alma starting Sr. P Kevin Thompson (Petoskey/Petoskey) dueled with Calvin starter Peter Cupery through four scoreless innings.

Finally, Calvin broke through in their bottom half of the fifth frame by scoring three runs on three hits and two Alma errors. One of the runs was unearned, but Scots relief So. P Philip Jock (Wales/Memphis) came in and was able to eliminate any further damage.

Heading into the top of the seventh inning, Alma still trailed by three but the visitors have proven in the past that they wouldn't go away quietly. Today was no different.

Jr. DH Juan Dominguez (New York, NY/Blue Ridge) led off the top of the seventh by getting hit by a pitch and So. CF David Carles (Staten Island, NY/Petrides) followed with a single. A passed ball moved both runners up a base and Dominguez scored on a sacrifice fly by Jr. 2B Jose Rosado (Corona, NY/Bryant) to make it a 3-1 game.

After Sr. 3B Bryan Goostrey (Jackson/East Jackson) loaded the bases, So. C Doug Walters (Brighton/Brighton) singled down the right field line scoring Carles. After a strike out gave Alma two outs, Jr. RF Yoan Delrosa (Bronx, NY/Morris) struck out but reached first on a passed ball and Goostrey rumbled across the plate to tie the game at 3-3.

However, the euphoria was short-lived. Two Scots errors led to a game-winning run for the Knights as they notched an unearned run with the bases loaded and walked off with the 4-3 victory.

For the game, Alma had four hits to go with their three runs but had four fielding errors. Jock took the loss on the mound and is now 4-5 on the season.

Game 2

The nightcap was also a low scoring affair and another fielding error would prove to be costly in the end of the 3-1 Calvin win.

The Knights scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning off of Alma starting So. P Colin Nash (Brighton/Brighton) as a lead-off error gave the home team some life. They took advantage of the miscue added three hits as well to take the 2-0 advantage.

Alma cut the deficit to 2-1 in the top of the third inning when Fr. RF Pat Finn (Allentown/Almont) doubled to right center with two outs and was knocked home on a single to center by Sr. LF Alex Kravat (Auburn/Bay City Western).

Calvin added a run in their half of the fifth inning after a leadoff single off of Nash came around to score and make it a 3-1 contest. So. P Matt Launstein (Flushing/Flushing) and So. P Blake Ordiway (Holly/Holly) each came on in relief during the frame.

After an uneventful sixth inning the Scots again made some noise in the top of the seventh. Carles singled to lead off but the threat ultimately ended when Fr. PH Jeremiah Johnson (Bloomingdale/Bloomingdale) hit into a double play.

The Scots mustered five hits in the two-run loss as five different hitters had one a piece. Nash took the pitching loss and is now 3-3 on the year. He finished with five strikeouts in four innings with seven hits against and one unearned run allowed.

The two teams will play another league doubleheader on Monday afternoon at Klenk Park in Alma. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.