Alma, Mich. - After 10 days of no competition due to inclement weather in Michigan the Alma College softball team was back in action today hosting Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) foe, Calvin College. Today's doubleheader is a scheduled make up game from last Wednesday (Apr. 6).

At the conclusion of the day Alma has pushed their win streak record to 10. Their overall record now stands at 19-5 and an unblemished record of 6-0 in the MIAA. Calvin has dropped to 12-8 on the season and are now at an even 2-2 in the league. 

Game One: Alma 3, Calvin 2

With one pop up and two strikeouts from junior Morgan Stratton (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) Alma retired the first three Calvin batters. In the bottom of the first inning lead off batter junior Anna Couture (Posen, Mich./Posen) walked. With one out, sophomore Mary Brooks (Portland, Mich./Portland) reached first on a Calvin error advancing Couture. Freshman McKenzie Creed (Edwardsburg, Mich./Edwardsburg) hit an RBI single up the middle to score Couture. Two more consecutive outs and Alma went in to the top of the second with the 1-0 lead. 

Stratton struck out two more batters and they forced Calvin in to a ground out retiring the first three batters again in the top of the second. Alma was unable to generate any runs in the bottom of half of the frame. 

Alma added another run in the bottom of the third inning. Couture hit a lead off single then with two outs on the board Creed reached first on an error from right field and Couture scored giving Alma the 2-0 lead. 

Calvin's lead off batter had a lead off single in the top of the fifth inning followed by a sacrifice pushing the runner to second. After another ground out Calvin had a runner on third and a passed ball by Alma's pitcher scored the Calvin runner, cutting Alma's lead 2-1. 

Neither team scored in the fifth inning but the Knights tied the game up 2-2 in the top of the sixth inning. Alma answered in the bottom of the frame to take the lead 3-2 after pinch hitter Katie McClure (Manchester, Mich./Manchester) knocked a single RBI to score pinch runner junior Kelsey Spencer (Eaton Rapids, Mich./Eaton Rapids). 

Calvin had one last attempt in the top of the seventh inning but the Scots brought down the first three Knight batters in two ground outs to third base and one to the short stop.

Stratton's record improved to 11-3 on the year, pitching her 10th complete game of the season. She allowed only three hits and the two runs for the Knights were unearned runs. Stratton nabbed 10 strikeouts and walked no Knight batters. 

Game Two: Alma 2, Calvin 0

Alma served as the home team in the second game of the doubleheader taking the first at bat in the top of the first. It was a game of patience for both sides as neither teams generated much offense.

Throughout the entire game Alma recorded five hits and Calvin was close behind, recording only four. The Scots were the only team to get on the board in game two and that did not come until the top of the sixth inning. 

To start the top of the sixth off, lead off batter Couture hit a double to right center. Senior Kayla Merice (Dorr, Mich./Wayland) put down a sacrifice bunt to putting Couture on third. Brooks was up next and grounded out at first for the second out of the inning, scoring Couture. A ground out followed to close the top of the frame out but Alma had one run on one hit in the sixth to take the 1-0 lead. 

Alma added their assurance run in the top of the seventh inning to take the 2-0 lead with three outs left to play in the bottom half of the frame. In the top of the seventh after a Calvin error and a sacrfice bunt from junior Danielle Service (Mason, Mich./Mason) the Scots had a runner in scoring position on third base. Stratton, who came in to pitch in the fifth, hit an RBI single up the middle to score the runner on third. 

Calvin had one last chance in the bottom of the seventh inning but the Scots retired the first three batters for the Knights to earn the 2-0 victory.

McClure earned the win, improving her record to 8-2 this season after pitching 5.1 innings. She allowed four hits, only one walk and struck out five Knight batters. Stratton came in for the last 1.2 innings, recording her third save of the season. 

Alma is now in the thick of MIAA play and will have two MIAA match ups this week. Alma will travel to Saint Mary's College for a doubleheader on Wednesday (Apr. 13), with a first pitch beginning at 3:30 p.m. The Scots will then travel to Adrian College on Saturday (Apr. 16) for another doubleheader go about, starting at 1:00 p.m. The very next day (Apr. 17), Alma will return home and welcome non-conference Manchester College to Scots Park. The first pitch is set to start at 1:00 p.m.