Alma, Mich. - The Alma College softball team is Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Tournament Champions for the first time since the 2012 season. In the ultimate elimination game, the Scots avenged an earlier 3-1 loss to Trine, and defeated the Thunder by a score of 1-0 to win the tournament championship.

Alma has automatically secured a berth to the 2016 NCAA Tournament and will now represent the MIAA in the NCAA Division III softball tournament. The field and time of the regional tournament will be announced Monday, May 9, at 1:00 p.m. on the ncaa.com website.

At the conclusion of the tournament Alma holds an overall record of 32-8 and they now have a post season record of 3-1.

Game One: Alma 1; Trine 3;

Junior Anna Couture (Posen, Mich./Posen) went 2-for-3 for Alma leading the way in the Scots' hitting category. Four other Scots notched a hit while senior Kayla Merice (Dorr, Mich./Wayland) recorded the only RBI for Alma in game one. 

Between the two teams, Alma put their first and only run on the board in the top of the fifth inning. With two outs on the board and sophomore Erin Lee (Commerce, Mich./Walled Lake Northern) on first base Couture singled up the middle to push Lee to third base in scoring position. Merice finished the job with an RBI single through the left side to score Lee. 

Alma had the 1-0 lead going in to the bottom of the sixth inning. However, Trine put three runs on the board in just three hits after two Thunder batters were walked in the frame. The Scots were unable to generate any runs in the top of the seventh inning, falling to Trine 3-1.

Alma had not lost yet in the tournament while Trine had fallen to Hope yesterday (May 5) and due to a double-elimination MIAA Tournament bracket Trine forced the Scots in to Game 7.

Junior Morgan Stratton (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) received the loss bringing her season record to 17-5. Stratton allowed four hits, gave up three earned runs and struck out six Thunder batters. 

Game Two: Alma 1; Trine 0;

Sophomore Katie McClure (Manchester, Mich./Manchester) was key for the Scots in the second game victory over the Thunder. McClure pitched a complete game allowing only three hits and giving up no runs. Her record improved to 15-3 this season. 

Alma generated only four hits in the game but found their lone run in the bottom of the fifth frame. Alma had two outs on the board but Couture knocked a singled and advanced to second on a Thunder throw. Merice singled to left field to push Couture to third and then sophomore Mary Brooks (Portland, Mich./Portland) finished it off with an RBI single through the infield gap. 

The Scots allowed Trine to tally two of their three hits in the sixth and seventh inning but solid defense put a stop to the Trine's attempted rally and the Scots won the championship game 1-0. Merice was 2-for-3 in the victory while Couture and Brooks both gathered a hit.