GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Alma College baseball team completed game two of three against the Calvin University Knights on Wednesday, April 10th, their second game in three days against each other. The Scots went up early but would concede their lead during the fifth before storming back and putting the game away for their second straight win over the Knights, 17-12.
Kevin Tuttle would be the Scots first run across the plate as he would hit a double down the left field line and advance to third on a sacrifice bunt by Kyler Warren. Carnicom sent him home on a sacrifice fly out to put Alma on the board first. The Knights would tie the game in the following inning as they would bat a run across the plate. The third is where the madness began as Alma would score eight runs, starting with Tuttle connecting for a single through the left side. Warren then reached first on an error and a single by Carnicom following would load the bases for Colin Czajkowski. Czajkowski would score one run with a single to right field, again keeping the bases at full capacity. A Cole Grunwald walk again would score another run while leaving the base loaded as the Knights still have zero outs recorded. A balk then scored Carnicom from third to now put runners on first and second with Alexander Kavalick stepping in to bat. Kavalick would ground put, but would collect and RBI as Czajkowski would race home and score leaving Grunwald alone at third. Tony Smith then singled to right field and scored Grunwald to put Alma up 6-1, but the Scots were not finished yet. A Knight pitching change in the middle of the inning put a pause to the scoring but Stephen McGlade made sure to pick it back up with his two-run home run near the left field line, putting Alma up 8-1. Dalton D'Alexander then singled into left field and would ultimately be scored later in the inning following a couple hit by pitches and a fielder's choice to put the Scots up 9-1 after the inning concluded.
Calvin would add two runs in the bottom of the third to cut into the lead narrowly, before their offense took off in the fifth and scored nine unanswered runs to take their first lead of the game and put the Scots down three. Alma was able to find their first response in the top of the sixth as Grunwald reached first with a single to center field and advanced to third after a wild pitch. Grunwald eventually crossed home plated on a ground out from his teammate Smith to bring Alma back within two, but still trailing.
The seventh inning saw the bats return to action for Alma again as Tuttle started the action with another single. Warren then wore a pitch to the body to reach first before both runners would advance forward a base on another balk from the Calvin pitching staff. Carnicom was then greeted with an intentional walk to load the bases as the Knights looked for a double play to get out of the jam. Czajkowski would ruin that plan as he reached first on an error but scored Tuttle in the process to bring the Scots within one. Kavalick helped clear most of the bases with a double down the left field line two batters later to put Alma back in the driver's seat which then led to Smith singling through the right side and scoring an additional two more runs to put Alma in the lead by three, 15-12. The Scots would add another two runs in the top of the ninth off of a passed ball and another balk to bring them to their total and take game two against the Knights.
Cam Jones got the nod for the start on the mound for Alma, pitching four innings and striking out five before help came in. Hayden Hileman, Davin Reif and Ken Fistler all came in as relief for the remaining time as Fistler was credited the save in his 3.1 innings of work. Tuttle led the Scots in the game with four hits as Smith and Kavalick each recorded three for the next highest. Smith also recorded a team high four RBI in the game as well.
Alma will now turn their attention to Albion College who they will face on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, April 12th, Alma will travel to the Britons for a single game before hosting a doubleheader on Saturday at Klenk Park. First pitch for Friday is set for 4:00 PM and Saturday at 1:00 PM.
