Notre Dame, Ind. - The Alma College softball team split its doubleheader with Saint Mary's College today (Apr. 13) on the road. Alma dropped the first game in extra innings 3-2 before defeating the Belle's 6-0 in the second game.

Saint Mary's gave Alma their first Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) loss of the season moving them to 7-1 in the league and 20-6 on the season. Saint Mary's now sits at 12-11 overall and 2-2 in the conference. 

Game One: Alma 2, Saint Mary's 3

The Saint Mary's Belles jumped to the early 2-0 lead before Alma answered with two runs in the top of the sixth, forcing the game in to extra innings where the Scots would eventually fall in a walk off single in the bottom of the 10th frame.

After singles from both junior Anna Couture (Posen, Mich./Posen) and senior Kayla Merice (Dorr, Mich./Wayland) followed by a Belle's error in the bottom of the sixth the Scots had the bases loaded, finding their two runs of the game. Both of the runs were unearned due to both runners advancing home on a Saint Mary's error. 

The game went down to the 10th inning where the Belle's recorded the only hit of extra innings between both teams advancing their runner on third base across the plate.

Junior Morgan Stratton (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) received the loss (11-4) pitching 9.2 innings. She recorded four strike outs giving up two earned runs on just four hits. 

Couture led the team going two for three in the game also recording one walk and one stolen base. Merice and senior Kassidi Adams (Montrose, Mich./Montrose) were the other two Scots to notch a hit in the game. 

Game Two: Alma 6, Saint Mary's 0

A four run inning in the bottom half of the first frame was exactly what the Scots needed to propel them forward to bring down the Belle's 6-0 in the second game of the doubleheader. Alma finished the game with 10 hits to Saint Mary's one and three separate Scots notched two runs a piece. 

In the first inning alone Couture hit a triple while sophomore Mary Brooks (Portland, Mich./Portland) and senior Sarah Collier (Fenton, Mich./Fenton) both hit out of the park home runs.

Alma continued to hold the Belle's to no runs then added two more insurance runs in the fourth and fifth inning to increase their lead to 6-0. Alma continued to hold Saint Mary's from reaching scoring position for the next two innings to earn the 6-0 victory.

Couture, Merice and Collier all recorded two hits and four other Scots all recorded a hit in the second game. With Brooks' home run she led the Scots with two RBI's. 

Sophomore Katie McClure (Manchester, Mich./Manchester) was in the circle for the Scots earning her ninth victory of the year (9-2). She threw the complete seven innings allowing only two hits and fanning five batters. 

The Alma College softball team will have another road game series this Saturday (Apr. 16) in Adrian, Mich. Alma will take on the Adrian College Bulldogs in an MIAA doubleheader at the AC Softball Field with a scheduled first pitch of 1:00 p.m. The following day (Apr. 17) Alma will welcome non-conference Manchester College in a make up game. The doubleheader is set to start at 1:00 p.m.