ROSSVILLE, Ga. – The Alma College baseball team played game three of the three-game series against Covenant College on Saturday, February 10th, on their opening weekend trip. Alma got the bats going early and often in the morning series finale and came out on top by a final score of 11-6.
The maroon and cream would score the first runs of the game in the top of the second as Mac Hawley sent Dalton D'Alexander home from second on a single, then advancing to second on an error. Hawley then advanced to third on a wild pitch before being sent home off of a Mitch Foley single to center field. Alma finished the top of the second leading 2-0. Covenant cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single putting the home team on the board.
The next runs for Alma would come in the top of the fourth, as the bases were loaded as two singles and a hit by pitch got the Scots into that position. Colin Czajkowski helped clear some of the bases with a double painted down the right field line, allowing for Avery Carnicom and Kyler Warren to score. With runners on the corners, D'Alexander continued his hot start to the season with RBIs as he grounded out to short, but gave way for Stephen McGlade to cross home plate. After the fifth, Alma led the Scots 5-1. In the bottom if the sixth, Covenant's offense came back to life and tallied four runs in the inning, bringing the current score to 5-4, in favor of Alma. The next inning, looking for insurance runs for their pitching staff, Alma did just that. Carnicom led the inning off with a single and advanced to second on a walk. The next two Alma betters were able to draw walks and then a hit by pitch allowed for Carnicom to score giving Alma a two-run cushion. Kevin Tuttle also stayed patient at the plate and was awarded a walk, scoring another run. Hawley stepped up to the plate next and hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Czajkowski and extending the lead. Brant Goodpaster collected a single to score an additional run then leading to Warren knocking a sacrifice fly to right field, though the Scots tabbed another run as Tuttle crossed home plate, giving the Scots a 10-4 lead.
In the top of the eight, Alma would add an additional insurance run as Carnicom led the inning off with another walk, then leading to him stealing second. Carnicom advanced to third off of a ground out and then scored the Scots final run of the game on a D'Alexander single to left field. Heading into the bottom of the eighth, Alma lead Covenant 11-6. Covenant would add a single run in the bottom of the eighth and then another single run in the ninth, but it would not be enough to hold Alma off from capturing the second game and the weekend series.
D'Alexadner again led the Scots in the RBI department with three on the day followed by Czajkowski and Hawley. On the mound, Zac Olesuk got the nod for the start and pitched four innings while collecting three strikeouts. Cole Grunwald came in as relief and recorded two strikeouts before Warren came in for the ninth and completed the Scots win.
Alma will now have about two weeks off before heading to Florida for their spring break trip to play seven games while in Orlando. The Scots will play their first game on Sunday, February 25th, as they take on the University of Dubuque.
