Alma, MI – Alma College Softball opened MIAA play on Saturday as they hosted Saint Mary's College at Scots Park. Alma's home opener was an emotional one, as the Scots Softball program honored longtime Assistant Coach and faculty member Mike Doran prior to game one. Doran, who was member of the softball program for 17 years, passed in the Summer of 2023. Alma pulled out a sweep to take the day, winning 6-3 and 7-1.
Alma 6, Saint Mary's 3
After a solid start by both pitchers, Alma broke through in the third inning, when
Danielle Dumoulin smacked an RBI double to right field, scoring 2 runs and gifting the Scots the lead. The home 9 doubles that lead on the next at bat, when
Morgan Brandau homered to center field to make it 4-0 Alma.
The score remained into the 5
th, with the Belles getting on the board courtesy of an RBI single. With the score sat at 4-1, Brandau homered a second time in the game to push Alma's lead to 6-1. The home 9 found themselves in a spot in the 6
th inning, when the Belles pushed across a pair of runs, but got no closer to achieving the comeback, with Alma winning 6-3.
Brandau was the clear offensive leader for Alma, with a 2-3 outing and 4 RBI off of her 2 home runs. Also batting 2-3 was
Jaycie LaValley and McKenna Salley.
Mikaylyn Kenney (9-1) picked up the win in the circle, going 5.1 and striking out 8 while allowing 5 hits.
Megan Krueger entered and closed things down, recording a strikeout en route to a 5-out save, the first of the season for the senior.
Alma 7, Saint Mary's 1
In game 2, Saint Mary's got to the scoring column first, with a 2
nd inning Scots error aiding to score what would be the lone run of the game for the Belles.
Alma answered in the 3
rd in the form of an RBI double from
Reneigh Sandmann to tie the game. The Scots 4
thinning featured the go-ahead runs scoring on a
Julia Duncan RBI double, and the 5
th saw another RBI single from
Jaycie LaValley. A pair of runs scored on an error from the Belles in the 6
th, and Sandmann scored another run with an RBI single in the 7
th to help put things to bed. In the end, Alma was on top 7-1.
Julia Duncan and
Reneigh Sandmann both recorded multi-hit, multi-RBI outings, with
Jaycie LaValley also going 2-3.
Morgan Westall (5-4) went the full 7 innings in the win. The lefty struck out 7 and allowed 5 hits.
Alma is back at it on Tuesday afternoon as they host Albion in MIAA play.