WILMINGTON, Ohio. – The Alma College baseball team traveled across the state of Ohio to round out their trip with a weekend series against Wilmington College. The Scots split the day with the Quakers losing the first by one run, 5-4, before rounding out the trip with a win, 6-5.
Alma got the runs going early as Kyler Warren and Avery Carnicom both were walked to start the game. Colin Czajkowski then laid down a sacrifice bunt and advance both runners forward a base putting both runners into scoring position. Mac Hawley recorded the first RBI of the game as his single to third base scored Warren, putting the Scots on the board. Dalton D'Alexander would grab the second RBI of the inning on a ground out to short, allowing for Carnicom to score, giving the Scots a 2-0 lead after the first inning. Alma added another run in the second as Charlie Martyn reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Warren would single later in the inning and Martyn rounded third to score at home putting the Scots up 3-0. The lead was short lived though as Wilmington was able to tie the game in the bottom of the third.
Alma fought back right away though as Stephen McGlade started the inning off with a walk and advanced to second after a sacrifice bunt from Martyn. Warren again knocked a single up the middle and McGlade was able to score giving Alma a one-run lead once again. Both team's offenses slowed down for the next couple of innings before the Quakers knocked in a run to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth, creating a dramatic finish ahead. In the bottom of the eighth, Wilmington had runners on first and second looking to close the game out. A single through the left side did just that as Wilmington took their first and only lead of the game, which ended up being enough and took game one from the Scots.
Zac Olesuk started the game on the mound for Alma going three innings and recording one strikeout. Davin Reif, Warren and Hayden Hileman came in as relief for Olesuk, with Warren collecting two strikeouts.
After a short break on the chilly and windy day, both teams were ready to get back after it and wrap up the weekend. Alma picked up where they left off as they were able to score the first run of the game in the top of the first with a Carnicom double to right center that sent Warren home, who also reached base on a double. The Quakers responded early this time as they took the lead away from the Scots in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs. The Scots were ready to fight though as McGlade doubled in the top of the second after a Cole Grunwald walk to put runners into scoring positions. Warren then hit a sacrifice fly and allowed for Grunwald to tag up and score to tie the game. Carnicom followed right behind with a single and another RBI as McGlade was able to score and give Alma the lead once again.
The Top of the fifth saw Alma extend their lead starting with a single up the middle by Hawley and followed up by a walk from D'Alexander. Kevin Tuttle laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners forward a base as Ryan Kracht stepped into the batter's box. Kracht would double to left center field and score Hawley while advancing D'Alexander to third. A Grunwald single then scored both base runners and gave Alma a 6-2 lead looking to end the weekend with a win. Wilmington would not make it easy though as the bottom of the inning saw three runs from the Quakers to bring themselves back within one. Hileman came in as relief in game two as well in the sixth and was able to close it out for the Scots, heading home with a win after a long weekend.
Cam Jones got the start in game two and was credited the win after four and a third innings of work, recording six strikeouts. Josh West saw action in the fifth and collected two strikeouts, while Hileman recorded one and was credited the save.
Avery Carnicom became the All-Time Career Hits leader in the game as well with his 179th career hit, adding to his already long list of accolades while being a Scot.
The Baseball team will have a short turnaround as they will now prepare for a midweek doubleheader at Anderson University in Indiana. The doubleheader is set for a Wednesday first pitch coming at 12:00 PM.
