Alma, Mich. - The Alma College baseball team split a home doubleheader with visiting Kalamazoo College on Saturday (April 30) afternoon at Klenk Park as the Scots and Hornets opened up a four-game weekend series. The series has implications on the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association race as both Alma and Kalamazoo are fighting for a spot in the MIAA Tournament, which begins in two weeks.

The Scots (22-10 overall, 13-8 MIAA) held the Hornets to just one hit in the series opening game, but faltered late in game 2, surrendering a five-run lead in the top of the ninth inning.

The series shifts to Kalamazoo on Sunday, May 1, with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

Game 1 - at Alma 2, Kalamazoo 0 (7 innings)

Junior Alex Valasek (Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel Catholic Central) pitched a one-hitter, throwing for all seven innings to pick up his sixth win of the season, as the Scots opened the series with a shutout victory.

Alma broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth inning thanks to a two-RBI double by junior Patrick Finn (Allentown, Mich/Almont). The hit scored senior Dayne San Miguel (Wheeler, Mich./Breckenridge/Kellogg CC) and junior Alex Peczynski (Farmington Hills, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central), who had singled in the previous two at-bats.

Sophomore Matthew Minaudo (Clinton Township, Mich./De La Salle Collegiate) went 2-for-4 at the plate in the win, while Ryan Orr picked up the loss for Kalamazoo after going the distance for the Hornets.

Game 2 - Kalamazoo 9, at Alma 6 (9 innings)

Under the threat of rain, Kalamazoo staged a furious comeback in the top of the ninth, scoring five runs to erase a five-run lead for Alma and split the doubleheader.

Alma took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth on a single by Peczynski that scored senior Yoan De La Rosa (Bronx, N.Y./Morris/Monroe College), then the Scots added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth when San Miguel hit a RBI double to score junior Adam Thoryk (Syracuse, N.Y./John C. Birdlebough/St. John Fisher), followed by a RBI single by Peczynski to score De La Rosa. De La Rosa finished the game 3-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to six games.

After Kalamazoo scored in the top of the sixth, Alma added three more runs in the bottom half of the inning to build a 6-1 advantage after six innings of play. Thoryk and junior Greg Goffee (Dexter, Mich./Dexter) both scored on a throwing error, then San Miguel picked up his second RBI of the game with a double to left field, scoring De La Rosa.

The game turned in the top of the seventh when Kalamazoo scored three times to pull within two runs at 6-4. The Scots held the Hornets to a three-up, three-down inning in the eighth, setting up the ninth inning. Sophomore Eric Frontzak (Naperville, Ill./Montini Catholic) took the mound to close things out, but the Scots gave up five runs on four hits and three walks to surrender the lead. Junior Mike Mallory (Ithaca, Mich./Ithaca) came in to finish the inning in relief.

Alma put the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth when Peczynski was hit by a pitch and Finn was walked in the first two at-bats, but Ryan Orr moved from second base back to the mound to finish the game, forcing a fly out and a double play to end the contest.