Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 The Alma College Softball team honored their seniors with Senior Day on Saturday, as they welcomed Adrian College for a doubleheader at Scots Park. Senior day momentum helped the Scots walk away with the two-game sweep, winning game one 6-0 and game two 12-2 in six innings.
At the end of the day, Alma increased its record to 18-10 and 9-1 in conference play, while Adrian fell to 15-11 overall and 3-5 in the conference.
Game One: Alma 6 Adrian 0
Alma got the ball rolling as they retired the first three batters into groundouts in the top of the first inning.
As the Scots took their turn in the bottom of the first they notched three runs from five hits. Lead off batter, Sr. IF Devan Olah (White Lake/Lakeland) singled up the middle, followed by an RBI double to right center from Jr. C Kayla Merice (Dorr/Wayland). Two-consecutive singles from Sr. IF Lea Lusk (Columbiaville/Lakeville) and Jr. IF Sarah Collier (Fenton/Fenton) added another run for the Scots. A sacrifice bunt from So. IF Jade Garcia (Kentwood/East Kentwood) advanced both runners in to scoring position. Sr. OF Brooke Hein (Grand Rapids/GR Northview) earned an RBI single knocking in Lusk to make it a 3-0 contest.
The Bulldogs put two runners on base in their half of the second but did not score, the Scots then answered with one run of their own to increase their lead to 4-0.
Lead off the inning, Sr. OF Marie Zill (Chelsea/Chelsea) connected with an infield single that looked as if it'd be the only action of the inning, but a single from Lusk scored Zill increasing their commanding lead 4-0.
In the top of the third inning, Alma got themselves out of a pinch as Adrian left the bases loaded.
Alma was unable to notch another run to maintain its 4-0 lead.
The score remained the same until the bottom of the fifth inning when Alma increased its well-built lead. Lead off batter Lusk walked. Garcia singled advancing the runner and then an error advanced the runners another base. So. IF Anna Couture (Posen/Posen) followed with another single scoring a run. Alma then put more runners on base from an Adrian error. A RBI single from Fr. OF Mary Brooks (Portland/Portland) put another runner across the plate.
No hits and no runs were recorded for either side throughout the sixth and seventh inning giving the Scots their eighth MIAA victory.
So. P Morgan Stratton (Grand Blanc/Grand Blanc) was stellar in the circle for the Scots. She threw a complete game allowing just four hits and walking only two with eight strikeouts to improve to 10-3 on the 2015 season.
Lusk went 2-3 at the plate with one RBI. Merice, Collier, Couture, Hein, and Brooks all recorded an RBI a piece, while Zill earned her 14th stolen base of the season.
Game Two: Alma 12 Adrian 2 (six innings)
The Scots saw themselves batting as the visitors in game two, jumping out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Lead off batter Olah found a gap hitting a single. Merice continued the streak as she crushed a double to left field. After a strikeout, Collier notched an RBI single to right field scoring a runner. Garcia reached on an Adrian error. A bullet down the right field line recorded an RBI single for Couture scoring a runner to take the 3-0 lead.
Phenomenal defense by the Scots got them out of a jam ending the first inning and allowing no runs for the Bulldogs.
There was continued solid defense by both teams in the second inning as the first three batters on both sides were retired putting no runners on base.
The bats began to connect again for the Scots in the top of the fourth inning. After a strikeout,
Hein sped around the bases for a left centerfield triple.
Fr. P Katie McClure (Manchester/Manchester) scored the runner off a single to left. Another triple in the inning by
Zill scored the runner to increase the Alma advantage to 5-0.
Alma had opportunities in the top of the fifth inning but were unable to capitalize. Adrian wasn't ready to give up yet, scoring two runners in the bottom of the inning.
The Scots increased their lead even more in the top of the sixth as they scored seven more runs on six hits. Adrian was unable to answer in the bottom of the sixth, ending the game giving the Scots their second victory on the day.
McClure started in the circle for the Scots pitching a total of 4.0 innings allowing two runs on four hits and striking out two. She received the win and increased her record to 3-4. Sr. P Samantha Pierce (Clarklake/Michigan Center) finished off the game for the Scots as she pitched 2.0 innings.
Collier, Couture, and Pierce all earned two RBI's, while Zill and Hein each recorded a triple.
The Alma College Softball team will host another MIAA match up tomorrow, April 12, at Scots Park taking on Saint Mary's College at 2:00 p.m.
