ALMA, Mich. – The Alma College baseball team hit the field for the fourth day in a row as they welcomed the Thunder of Trine University to Klenk Park on Friday, April 26th. The Scots held the lead most of the game, but would win in walk-off fashion in ninth by a final score of 5-4.
Alma was able to put the first run on the board just three batters in as Kevin Tuttle led the Scots off with a double down the left field line. Colin Czajkowski would then single through the shortstop, scoring Tuttle and putting Alma up 1-0. The next five innings saw the pitchers and defenses take control of the game and keep each squad off the scoreboard heading into the seventh. The top of the seventh saw a couple base hits and a triple, enough to score two runs for the Thunder a take their only lead of the game.
Alma followed up in the bottom of the seventh with their own offense, starting off with a Dalton D'Alexander walk and a Stephen McGlade double, scoring D'Alexander to tie the game. Mitch Foley then reached first on a bunt to put McGlade on third and himself on first. Tuttle then drove McGlade home to score and advanced Foley to third while advancing to second, in scoring position. After Avery Carnicom was intentionally walked, Czajkowski grounded out to third, but scored Foley to put Alma back up two heading into the eighth. The Thunder were able to string together some base hits again to tie the game at fours aside, leaving the Scots to respond. Alma was held scoreless in the eighth and was able to also hold the Thunder scoreless in the top of the ninth, lining up a walk-off finish. Foley led the inning off with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tuttle, putting him into scoring position. Carnicom drew another intentional walk, leaving the honors up to Czajkowski who would hit a hard struck ball to the shortstop where it would be bobbled and ultimately squeak by him, allowing Foley to round third and reach home for the game-winning run.
Kyler Warren started the game on the mound before moving to third in the ninth, pitching for seven innings and striking out three. Ken Fistler came in for a third of. An inning before Davin Reif would take over and finish the last 1.2 innings. Reif also was credited the win, moving to 2-0 on the season.
Alma will now head to Angola, Indiana to finish the series with the thunder on Saturday, April 27th. The Scots will play a doubleheader with the first game starting at 1:00 PM and the second to start around 4:00 PM.
