ALMA, Mich. – The Alma College baseball team hosted the final regular season doubleheader on Saturday, May 4th, hosting the Hornets of Kalamazoo College for senior day. The Scots were dispatched in both games by finals scored of 4-2 and 11-10.
Game one proved to be a defensive and pitcher's duel type game as offenses were held quiet for a majority of the game. The Scots were able to load the bases in the bottom of the first inning, but the Hornets were able to escape unscathed. The Hornets then loaded the bases in the second, but the Scot responded right back and got out of the inning holding Kalamazoo scoreless. The Hornets were able to break the ice in the fifth inning score on an RBI single and a sacrifice fly, taking a 2-0 lead.
The Scots were able to break through in the seventh, leading off with Tony Smith who singled to right center. Dalton D'Alexander then doubled to left center, putting two runners into scoring position. Mitch Foley was able to connect and send a ball into deep left field for a sacrifice fly, allowing Smith to tag up and score from third. Following a change of pitchers, Kevin Tuttle then stepped up and drove the ball up the middle, sending D'Alexander around third and home to score to tie the game at twos. The hornets would play spoiler to the Scots title chances in the top of the ninth as an early home run and a single up the middle would score two runs throughout the inning, again taking a two-run lead with three outs remaining. The Scots would reach base by a hit by pitch in the bottom of the ninth, but would not advance the runner or put another on base as they would fall in game one.
Tyler Johnson returned to action on the mound starting the game and going for five innings with five strikeouts and three hits. Hayden Hileman and Chase Balhoff came in for relief, combining for three strikeouts as Hileman would pick up the loss.
Game two saw more offense as Kalamazoo was able to score a run in the top of the first to take an early lead. The Scots responded in the bottom of the inning as Tuttle led Alma off with a double to left field. Avery Carnicom was then walked and Colin Czajkowski doubled down the left field line, scoring both Tuttle and Carnicom to give Alma a 2-1 lead. D'Alexander would then score Czajkowski on a single to left center, increasing the Scots lead to 3-1. Kalamazoo was able to plate two of their own runs in the top of the second to tie the game for the next several innings.
The Hornets then retook the lead in the top of the fourth with two unanswered runs on several singles, now leading 5-3. The Scots plated a couple runs in the bottom of the fifth as Czajkowski would single up the middle and then steal second during the next at bat. Mac Hawley then was able to draw a walk followed by a Kyler Warren single to left field to load the bases. D'Alexander was also walked, scoring Czajkowski for the first run, leading to a Luke Lindsay sacrifice fly to left field which was able to score Preston Schroyer, who pinch ran for Hawley.
The Hornets then lathered on a six spot in the top of the sixth, to take their largest lead of the game as they would lead 11-5 by the end of the top of the sixth. The Scots were able to plate two runs in the bottom of the sixth, following a Tuttle walk and a Carnicom double, putting both runners into scoring position. Czajkowski would drive both runners home with a single up the middle, pulling the Scots within four at the end of the sixth. A solo run in the seventh and two more runs in the eighth would bring the Scots within two, but it would not be enough as the Hornets would take both Saturday for the series sweep of the Scots.
Czajkowski started the game on the mound for game two, recording two strikeouts in his one inning pitched. Cam Jones, Blake Stone, Brendan McManus, Davin Reif, Ryan Koob, Tyler Lasley, and Evan Litwiller all saw action on the mound for the Scots recording five strikeouts for the rest of the way. Davin Reif would pick up the loss in game two.
Alma will now await their opponent in the MIAA Tournament to take place from Wednesday May 8th through Friday, May 10th, at Kalamazoo College.
