By Harrison LaLone, Sports Information student assistant

Auburndale, Fla. - The Alma College Baseball team opened its season at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational on Sunday (Feb. 25) with a matchup against the Milwaukee School of Engineering (WI) (MSOE).

Senior Matt Minaudo (Clinton Township, Mich./De La Salle Collegiate) walked off on a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving Alma a 6-4 opening day victory.

What Happened

• Sophomore Josh Riggs (Irons, Mich./Brethren) earned the first start of the year for the Scots. Riggs went six innings, striking out three, and left with one run earned.
• The game was scoreless through the first three innings. After sophomore Max Trucks (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Mt. Pleasant) singled on a bunt, fellow sophomore Vann Acker (Eaton Rapids, Mich./Eaton Rapids) scored Trucks on a double deep to left center.
• Alma's bats caught fire in the bottom of the sixth. Sophomore Pete Carravallah (Canton, Mich./Plymouth/Adrian College) opened the inning with a single to left, then sophomore Jaret Koin (Sterling, Mich./Standish-Sterling Central) singled to score him after a wild pitch put him on second. After junior Jordan Anstandig (West Bloomfield, Mich./Walled Lake Northern/Saginaw Valley State University) was hit by a pitch, sophomore Logan Huff (Johannesburg, Mich./Johannesburg-Lewiston) sent a line drive out to the centerfield fence, scoring both Koin and Anstandig.
• Sophomore Dylan Dzendzel (Royal Oak, Mich./Royal Oak) came in to relieve Riggs in the seventh inning after Riggs let the first two batters on. Dzedzel would surrender one run in the stanza after overcoming a one-out bases-loaded jam. In the top of the ninth, after an infield error and surrendering a double, MSOE's Ryan Newman cleared the bases and tied the game with a home run to left field.
• The Scots took the bottom of the batting order into the bottom of the ninth inning, tied 4-4. Senior Ben Finzel (Saginaw, Mich./Swan Valley/USC Salkehatchie) led the inning off with a walk, then was advanced on a sacrifice bunt by senior Austin Roeske (Warren, Mich./De La Salle Collegiate). With one out, one runner on second base, Matt Minaudo sent a no-doubter over the fence in left center, putting a dagger to the Raiders.

Notables

• The walk-off homer for Minaudo was his first home run in an Alma uniform, and his only hit on the day.
• The Scots stole three bases in the afternoon: Huff, Koin, and Trucks each had one.
• Alma had three extra-base hits: Minaudo's home run, and one double each from Acker and Huff.
• The Raiders left 11 men on base in the contest, more than doubling Alma's five.

Up Next

The Scots return to the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex Monday, Feb. 26, to face the Cobbers of Concordia College of Minnesota. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.