Following a sweep of Aquinas College in its home opener on Wednesday, the Alma College Softball team returned to Scots' Park on Saturday to take on Bluffton University (OH). The Scots would earn a split against the Beavers, dropping the first game 3-1 before winning 4-2 in game two.

Heading in to a doubleheader against Ohio Wesleyan University (OH) tomorrow, Alma sits at 9-9 on the year. Bluffton is  now 9-8 overall following Saturday's action.

Game 1 -  Bluffton 3, Alma 1

The visiting Beavers would jump out to an early lead in game one, scoring two runs in the top of the first to take the early 2-0 lead.

Sr. SS Devan Olah (White Lake/Lakeland) would lead off the bottom of the second with a double and Jr. C Kayla Merice (Dorr/Wayland) followed with a walk to put two on with no outs. The Scots would then hit in to a double play and then a groundout to end the inning no runs and one left on base.

With the score still 2-0 in the bottom of the second, So. 3B Jade Garcia (Kentwood/East Kentwood)singled through the left side to land a runner on for Alma with no outs. Garcia would advance to second thanks to a bunt by So. SS Anna Couture (Posen/Posen) to give the Scots two runners on base without any outs. Sr. OF Brooke Hein (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Northview) would be hit by a pitch to load the bases but back-to-back fielder's choices would keep Alma from putting any runs on the board. The inning ended with a groundout and the score remaining 2-0 Bluffton.

The Beavers would record a run in the top of the third to extend their advantage to 3-0 heading in to the bottom of the inning.

With two outs, the Scots landed two runners on by way of walks and Couture would be hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Alma would end the inning with a strikeout to leave three on base and keep the score at 3-0.

With the score still 3-0, the Scots took to the plate in the bottom of the seventh looking for the come-from-behind victory.

With two outs, Sr. 3B Lea Lusk (Columbiaville/Lakeville) would homer over the left field fence to cut the deficit to 3-1. Alma would be unable to manufacture any more runs in the inning to fall 3-1 in game one.

Olah went 2-for-4 with a double from the plate, while Lusk recorded a homerun and the lone RBI for the Scots.

In the circle, So. P Morgan Stratton (Grand Blanc/Grand Blanc) (5-3) got saddled with the loss after giving up three runs (one earned) on eight hits with one walk.

Game 2 -  Alma 4, Bluffton 2

Mirroring game one, Bluffton would put to runs on the board in the first to jump out to the early 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the first, Olah would lead off with a single and advance to second after a walk to Merice. With two outs, both runners would advance on a wild pitch to give Alma its first scoring opportunity of the game. Garcia would then step to the plate and send a single to center field, to score both runners and tie the game at 2-2.

The score remained knotted at 2-2 until the bottom of the fifth. Sr. P Samantha Pierce (Clarklake/Michigan Center) led off the inning with a single to left field and was followed by Olah who reached on an error, to give the Scots two on with no outs. Merice put down a bunt and was called safe at first to load the bases, before Lusk got walked to bring in Pierce from third and give the Alma its first lead of the afternoon at 3-2.

Up 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Alma would notch two singles to start the inning to land two runners on with one out. Lusk would come up big again, collecting an RBI single to stretch the Scots lead to 4-2 with one inning remaining.

The Beavers were unable to put up any runs in the top of seventh, giving Alma the 4-2 victory at home.

Merice, Pierce and Garcia each recorded two hits for the Scots, with Garcia adding two RBI and a stolen base. Lusk accounted for the other two RBI for Alma after going 1-for-3 from the plate.

Pierce (1-2) earns her first win of the season after allowing only one hit and one walk in 3.2 innings pitched.

The Scots return to action tomorrow, March 22, to take on Ohio Wesleyan University (OH) in a doubleheader played at Adrian College starting at 1:00 p.m.