AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The Alma College baseball team took the fields once again on Tuesday, February 27th for a doubleheader against Houghton University and Wartburg College. The Ascots rebounded after a tough day on Monday with two wins to improve their record to 5-3.
In game one, the Scots took on the Highlanders for a morning matchup. The Scots were able to strike first as they scored seven runs in the first inning. Dalton D'Alexander scored the first run as he sent Avery Carnicom home, who reached on a walk, to give alma their first of the game. Mac Hawley then sent D'Alexander and Czajkowski across home plate to give the Scots a 3-0 lead, with just one out. Brant Goodpaster then doubled to left field and scored Hawley and Kevin Tuttle to increase the lead to five. Luke Lindsay would score the sixth run with a single into right field allowing Goodpaster to score before the Scots would score their seventh and final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly from Kyler Warren, as McGlade tagged up and gave Alma a 7-0 lead heading into the second. The Scots weren't finished there though as the second saw additional runs scored. Carnicom wore a pitch and D'Alexander singled to right field to put themselves on the base paths. Hawley collected another two RBI on a single to center field putting Alma up 9-0.
The next innings would stay much quieter as neither team would put a score on the board until the fifth when Houghton broke through and tallied two to cut the lead to seven. The game got real tense in the top of the sixth as the Highlanders fired up the offense and scored six more unanswered runs to bring themselves within one with plenty of game to play. The seventh saw a single run for Houghton to tie the game and put Alma back on the hot seat and needing a score to hold off from losing three in a row. The bottom of the eighth began with D'Alexander reaching on a single to center field and advancing to second on a sacrifice hit. D'Alexander then reached third after Ryan Suchota reached first on an error. Goodpaster scored the game-winning run as he put down a sacrifice bunt and allowed for D'Alexander to score.
Cole Grunwald started on the mound for the Scots and recorded three strikeouts in two innings of work. Cam Jones came in a relief for two innings as well and recorded a team high four strikeouts. Davin Reif was credited the win for the game as he came in the seventh and Hayden Hileman was credited the save for his time on the bump in the ninth.
The Scots returned to action in the afternoon against a familiar foe they had seen the day prior. Alma looked to redeem their selves against Wartburg and split the series with them for the week. Again, the Scots got their offense going early as Carnicom reached on a single and Czajkowski drew a walk. D'Alexander would follow behind with a single and load the bases for Hawley to score two on a single to right field and put the Scots up 2-0 after one. The Second saw more offense for the Scots as Ethan Krafft led off with a double and then scored during the next at bat as Mitch Foley reached on an error and both runners advanced an extra base. Warren then sent Foley home on a ground out to second, ultimately putting Alma up 4-0 early on. Wartburg fired back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the third to tighten the game back up but Mac Hawley gave the Scots another insurance run in the fourth as he scored Czajkowski who reached on a fielder's choice earlier on.
The Scots extended their lead on the fifth with the bases loaded and Carnicom was hit by the pitch scoring the first run of the inning before Czajkowski hit a sacrifice fly to center field and score the second, putting Alma up 7-3. The Knights tallied two in the both of the fifth as answers to hang within two of the Scots and play spoiler on a Tuesday. The Bottom of the seventh saw the Knights tag on two more runs and tie the game, again putting the Scots in a tight game late for the second time on the day. In the eighth, Hawley scored the go ahead run with the bases loaded on a sacrifice fly to center which then led to Charlie Martyn pinch hitting and putting a single into left field scoring another run and giving Alma a two-run lead once again. The Scots defense would hold on strong for the final two innings and the Scots would earn a sweep on day three in the sunshine state.
Warren started game two on the mound and pitch four and a third innings recording four strikeouts. Hileman was credited the win as he returned to the mound in the seventh and finished the game out allowing zero hits and two strikeouts.
Alma will now have a day off before facing off for a single game against Grove City College (PA) pn Thursday, February 29th.
