Written by Mason Ippel, Sports Information Student Assistant

Auburndale, Fla. - The Alma College baseball team played a seven inning doubleheader against Capital University (OH) Monday (Feb. 24). Alma was the visitor for the first game and the home team for the second.

Game one featured Aaron Saenz (Sebewaing, Mich. / Unionville-Sebewaing Area) on the mound for the Scots. Alma was unable to overcome two big innings from Capital and fell 8-4. Zach Schirmer (Bay City, Mich. / Bay City Western) led the team by going 2-3 with a walk and an RBI. The Scots gave Jayden Drake (Frisco, Texas / Centennial) the start in game two. The Crusaders bats proved to be too much again as Alma fell again, this time 8-2. Capital improves to 4-0 while Alma falls to 2-4.

Game 1 Recap

First Inning

• Both teams went 1-2-3.

Second Inning

• With one out, Max Trucks (Mt. Pleasant, Mich. / Mt. Pleasant) got the first hit of the game but the next batter grounded into a double play to end the inning.
• After a one out walk, MacGuire Hawley (Brooklyn, Mich. / Tecumseh) and Kevin Tuttle (Woodhaven, Mich. / Riverview Gabriel Richard) turned a double play to end the inning.

Third Inning

• Alma had three up and three down.
• The first hit for the Crusaders came on a slow dribbler down the third base line that was thought to be off the batter's foot but was ruled safe. The next batter tried a sacrifice bunt but popped it up. The ball dropped just passed the outstretched glove of a diving Saenz trying to make a double play and the batter beat the throw to first. Another perfectly placed bunt loaded the bases for Capital.

Fourth Inning

• Pete Carravallah (Canton, Mich. / Plymouth) hit a bomb to right field that hit the tip of the fielder's glove. Carravallah didn't slow down and cruised into a standup, one out triple. Schirmer battled with two strikes, fouling off a couple pitches, before hitting a blooper down the right field line that gave him a standup double. Alma stranded him at second.
• Capital went three up three down.

Fifth Inning

• The Crusaders defense forced another 1-2-3 inning.
• Capital got runners on second and third after a single and an Alma error. Their third baseman stepped up to the plate and hit a shot down right field line for a 2 RBI triple. He would score two batters later on a passed ball.

Sixth Inning

• Tuttle and Schirmer both got singles. With two outs, Logan Huff (Canton, Mich. / Plymouth) walked to load the bases. The Scots couldn't score any of them and left the bases loaded.
• Capital started the inning by reaching on an error. After getting moved to second, the Crusaders did a sacrifice bunt to move him to third. Two batters later they pushed him across with a single.

Seventh Inning

• Scots rallied in the last inning. Capital brought in a new pitcher to start the inning. Avery Carnicom (Woodhaven, Mich. / Woodhaven) started the inning with a leadoff hit by pitch. Ian Hart (Brighton, Mich. / Detroit Catholic Central) came in and got a pinch hit single. Hawley then hit a two RBI double. Alma would get one more run later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Carravallah but that is all they would get.

Game 2 Recap

First Inning

• Capital got a single and Alma a walk but the defense took care of business for both ball clubs.

Second Inning

• Capital would threaten but Alma's defense made the plays they needed to hold them scoreless.
• The Scots got runners on second and third with two outs but were unable to push any across.

Third Inning

• Alma committed two critical errors that resulted in two runs for the Crusaders.
• The Scots responded by getting a run of their own. Carravallah got a one out single. He stole second on the next at bat and advanced to third on a balk. Alma would get him home on a groundout to the shortstop.

Fourth Inning

• Drake continues to shut down Capital. He only allowed one hit through four innings.
• Alma got another run on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly from Tuttle that scored Trucks.

Fifth Inning

• A double and an RBI single led coach Crain to go to the bullpen. Ty Sobczak (Petoskey, Mich. / Petoskey) came in for Drake. He walked three straight batters before getting out of the inning.
• Alma could only muster up a walk.

Sixth Inning

• Capital got three hits on four batters but only scored one run. Alma's defense made some impressive plays which included a throwout at third base and Alex Dwan (Saginaw, Mich. / Nouvel Catholic Central) catching a runner stealing at third.
• Alma couldn't get anything going.

Seventh Inning

• Brendan McManus (Holland, Mich. / Holland) started the seventh for the Scots. Capital extended its lead by three with four hits and a hit by pitch. Schirmer gunned a guy out at home from left field to save a run.
• Capital's Virts goes the distance and closes out Alma for his first win of the year.

Next Up

The Scots will face Capital University (OH) again Wednesday (Feb 26.) in a single game at 3:00 p.m.