On a cool and blustery mid-March Saturday afternoon, the Alma College Softball team hit the road to play an early season non-league doubleheader at Davenport University. In game one, the Scots defeated Bluffton University 7-5 before dropping a 10-2 decision to the host Panthers in the nightcap.

With the split, the Scots now have a record of 6-8 on the season, while Bluffton fell to 7-6 and Davenport improved to 16-3 in 2014-15.

Game 1 - Alma 7, Bluffton 5

In the first game, the Scots jumped on Bluffton in the first inning but scoring three runs on three hits. Sr. SS Devan Olah (White Lake/Lakeland) started the contest off with a single and moved to third on a single by Jr. DP Kayla Merice (Dorr/Wayland).

After a ground out and a strikeout left runners on second and third with two outs, So. RF Jade Garcia (Kentwood/East Kentwood) reached on an error that scored Olah and Merice. Garcia then stole second and came home on a single through the left side by So. 2B Anna Couture (Posen/Posen) for a 3-0 Scots advantage.

The Beavers answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the second and two in the bottom of the third to take a 5-3 lead. Bluffton used five hits and were helped by three Alma errors during their spurt as they scored three earned runs of Scots So. P Morgan Stratton (Grand Blanc/Grand Blanc).

In the meantime, Alma scattered four hits over their next five innings but were unable to generate any more runs and headed into the top of the seventh needing a comeback. And a comeback is what they achieved.

With one out, Sr. 3B Lea Lusk (Columbiaville/Lakeville) singled and that was followed by a single by Jr. 1B Sarah Collier (Fenton/Fenton) that moved the runner to second. Jr. PR Kassidi Adams (Montrose/Montrose) pinch ran for Collier and Garcia walked to load the bases for the Scots.

Couture followed with another walked that scored Lusk and it was a 5-4 game. The big blow of the game was then delivered by Sr. C Cori Witham (North Muskegon/North Muskegon) who doubled down the left field line and all three runners scored and Alma had the 7-5 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh, Bluffton threatened off of Stratton but would not score. After two quick outs, the Beavers singled and then saw Alma commit an error that put two runners on base. However, Stratton dug deep and struck out a pinch hitter to preserve the Scots come from behind victory.

Stratton earned the win in the circle by going the distance, allowing three earned runs on nine hits with three walks and four strikeouts. At the plate, Witham went three for three with the big double and a run scored, while Merice added two hits.

Game 2 - Davenport 10, Alma 2

The second game of the day wasn't as kind to the Scots against a very solid Davenport squad. Alma fell behind early and eight defensive errors contributed to a long night, as the Panthers defeated the Scots 10-2 in six innings.

The Panthers scored two runs in the bottom of the first and added three more in the bottom of the second, four of them unearned off of Alma starting Sr. P Samantha Pierce (Clarklake/Michigan Center), to take a commanding 5-0 lead.

The Scots got on the board in the top of the third when Olah led off with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. Merice then followed with a single up the middle for an RBI and the gap was closed to 5-1.

Alma added another run in the top of the fourth to make it a 5-2 game and put some pressure on Davenport. Couture reached on a bunt single and moved to second on a ground ball. Sr. CF Marie Zill (Chelsea/Chelsea) followed with a single through the left side knocking in Couture for an RBI. However, that would end the offensive highlights for the Scots on the afternoon.

Davenport scored five unearned runs of Scots Sr. P Breu Olling (Breckenridge/Breckenridge). The Scots committed four errors that were added to three hits and the game ended by the eight-run rule, giving the Panthers the 10-2 victory.

Pierce got the loss for the Scots by throwing three innings and allowing seven hits, one walk and one earned run to go with two strikeouts. Olling threw the final 2.1 innings and allowed five hits and five unearned runs with one walk.

Offensively, Alma had seven hits and were led by Merice and Fr. RF Mary Brooks (Portland/Portland), who each had two in a losing effort.

The Scots are scheduled to play next on Wednesday, March 18 at home in a doubleheader against Aquinas College. First game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. with the nightcap being approximately 25 minutes after the conclusion of the first one.