Kalamazoo, Mich. - The Alma College baseball team dropped both games of a road doubleheader on Friday (April 28) as the Scots and Hornets opened a four-game series.

With six games left to play in the season, the Scots (11-23 overall, 9-13 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association) remain one game out of fourth place, which is shared by Trine University and Calvin College. The Hornets remained in second place and are three games out of first place, which is held by Adrian College.

Junior Matthew Minaudo (Clinton Township, Mich./De La Salle Collegiate) led the Scots in the twinbill, going 3-for-7 with three RBIs and scoring two runs. Junior Ben Finzel (Saginaw, Mich./Swan Valley/USC Salkahatchie) was also 3-for-7, tallying three RBIs with his first home run as a Scot.

Alma and Kalamazoo wrap up the series on Saturday, April 28, with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Klenk Park. The day has been designated as Alumni Day, with former baseball players being honored in between the two-game set.

Game 1 - at Kalamazoo 6, Alma 5

Senior Alex Valasek (Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel Catholic Central) tossed a complete game and allowed five hits while striking out five batters as the Scots came up one run short.

Kalamazoo opened the game with a run in the bottom of the first inning before Alma responded in the top of the second. Senior Adam Thoryk (Syracuse, N.Y./John C. Birdlebough/St. John Fisher) reached on a throwing error to open the stanza, then scored when Matthew Minaudo hit a single to center field. Ben Finzel homered over the left field fence at the next at bat, scoring Minaudo to give Alma a 3-1 lead.

The Hornets answered with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, tying the game with a two-run home run before grabbing the lead at 4-3 with an RBI double.

The Scots came back and regained the lead in the top of the third on an RBI single by Thoryk, followed by an RBI single by Minaudo, but Kalamazoo scored twice in the bottom of the third on a two-run home run by Andre Gard - his second of the game - to grab a 6-5 advantage.

Alma challenged the lead in the top of the sixth with runners on first and second with two outs, but could not get the tying run across the plate.

Game 2 - at Kalamazoo 6, Alma 2

Kalamazoo took a 3-0 lead after three innings before Alma got on the board, scoring twice in the top of the fourth. Matthew Minaudo hit an RBI double to start the scoring, then Ben Finzel doubled at the next at bat to score Minaudo and pull within one run.

The Hornets scored three times in the bottom of the sixth to expand their lead, and received solid pitching to hold Alma to just two hits over the final three innings en route to the win.

Senior Mike Mallory (Ithaca, Mich./Ithaca) took the loss and faced 29 batters before freshman Ben Blake (Sanford, Mich./Sanford Meridian) took over with two outs in the sixth inning.