ANGOLA, Ind. – The Alma College baseball team headed south across the border to the campus of Trine University for their final regular season Saturday doubleheader on April 27th. The Scots came out on top with marginal victories in both contests as Alma took game one 20-5 in seven innings and 9-2 for the second game.
Game one started out shaky for the Scots as Trine kept the Scots early chance off the board and quickly put up runs of their own. Trine would knock their first run in with the second at bat and tag on four more before the end of the innings for a 5-0 lead after one. Alma's offense was then woken up and able to cut into the deficit, beginning with a Stephen McGlade single. Kevin Tuttle then drew a walk before Avery Carnicom doubled to left center scoring both base runners. Carnicom was then scored on a Colin Czajkowski double also to left center, bringing the score to 5-3. The top of the third saw more runs for Alma as Cole Grunwald would lead the inning off with single. McGlade then singled, advancing Grunwald to third. Brant Goodpaster then laid down a sacrifice bunt that was able to score Grunwald and advance McGlade to second on the play. Mitch Foley then sent a ball out of the park, for a two-run home run for Alma to take a 6-5 lead.
Alma kept laying on the runs in the fourth as Carnicom led the inning off with a single followed by a Czajkowski single as well. Grunwald would draw a walk to load the bases as Alexander Kavalick would step up to the plate. Kavalick would draw a walk as well to score the first run of the inning. McGlade then reached first on a fielder's choice, allowing Czajkowski to score. Goodpaster then reached first on an error scoring Kavalick and putting the Scots up 9-5 after four.
In the sixth, Grunwald doubled to left center to lead off the inning. Kavalick then was walked before McGlade reached on a fielder choice, as Grunwald was out at third. Goodpaster then drew a walk to load the bases for Foley. Foley then stepped into the box and placed a single into right center, scoring Kavalick. Tuttle then singled through the left side, scoring another three runs after an error in the outfield. Tuttle then was sent home on a Czajkowski error that allowed him to reach first, scoring another run. Kyler Warren would triple to left center to score Czajkowski, putting Alma up 15-5 through six.
In the seventh, Kavalick led the inning off with a single through the left side and advance to third on two wild pitches. McGlade then was walked and he also advanced to second on a wild pitch. Goodpaster also drew a walk, loading the bases with zero outs. Foley then grounded out to third base scoring Kavalick on the play. Tuttle followed it up with a single to center field, scoring McGlade. Carnicom would then fly out to left field to left, again scoring Goodpaster this time. Tuttle would add the fourth run of the inning on a Czajkowski double before Taha Ebrahim would double as well and send Czajkowski home for the Scots 20th run of the game.
Cam Jones started the game for the Scots before Chase Balhoff came in as relief for the the five innings. Balhoff struck two batters out before Alex Hardacre came in as the closer for the final inning.
Game two started slowly in the scoring department as both teams were held off the board until the third. Foley stayed patient as was awarded a walk before Tuttle singled to center field, putting runners on the corners. Carnicom then continued his hard hits this season with a three-run shot over the left field wall, to take an early lead. Trien responded in the bottom of the inning with a solo run to bring themselves within two.
Both teams were held scoreless again until the sixth with Ebrahim singling to the shortstop. Charlie Martyn would double to left field, scoring Ebrahim, for Alma's fourth run of the game. The eighth saw the next run scored for the Scots as Martyn led the inning off being hit by a pitch, then advancing to second on a wild pitch. Tuttle followed behind with a single to right center, scoring Martyn and putting the Scots up 5-1.
The Scots put together one final push in the top of the ninth as the bases became loaded off of two walks and a single by Ebrahim. Foley and Tuttle then were walked as well to score the first wo runs of the inning as Carnicom stepped up to the plate. Carnicom followed up with a single to right center for two RBI and giving Alma their ninth run of the game. Trine ultimately scored an additional run in the bottom of the inning, but it was not enough to catch the Scots as Alma would sweep the series.
Grunwald was given the start for Alma going six innings while striking out three. Hayden Hileman came in as relief for two innings as he struck out one. Ken Fistler came in to close for the final inning also striking out one.
Alma will now look forward to the Kalamazoo Hornets for a big weekend series with MIAA Tournament implications at hand. First pitch Friday at Kalamazoo will be at 4:00 PM.
