ALMA, Mich. – The Alma College baseball team honored their seniors on Saturday, April 26th, welcoming Trine University to Klenk Park for a doubleheader. The Scots came away victorious in both games after dropping the series opener the day prior. Alma won the senior day contests by final scores 10-0 in seven innings, and 4-1.
Game one started out quick for the Scots as Tyler Johnson took care of the top of the inning with two strikeouts and a ground out, putting Alma on offense. Cameron Bleasdale opened the hitting with a single through the right side, followed behind by a Giuseppe Sapienza walk. A sacrifice bunt by Ryan Kracht advanced the runners as Tony Smith came up to the plate. Smith then roped a single down the left field line, scoring both runners before he was thrown out at second trying to advance himself forward.
The Second inning saw Johnson make easy work of three straight batters on strikeouts, in addition to adding another two more in the third. Another inning of three strikeouts came for Johnson in the fourth, as he stacked up the K's early and often against the Thunder. Kracht led the fourth inning off for the Scots with a triple to right center field, where an over throw game him enough of a window to then race home and score, adding another run for the Scots. Smith would single as Kyler Warren would double down the line behind him, putting runners on second and third. Jack McIntosh picked up the pieces with a single to right center, scoring both runners and sent the Scots lead to five.
An explosive fifth inning came about on offense for Alma, starting with a walk from Sapienza and a double from Kracht. Smith then collected another single, scoring both runners, for runs six and seven. Smith then stole second followed by McIntosh reaching first on a walk. Kosta Stavropoulos pinch ran for McIntosh and would be called to use his speed in the next at bat. Brant Goodpaster singled through the left side, sending Smith home and putting Stavropoulos on third, while he himself advanced to second on a throw. Charlie Martyn would score both runners with a single down the left field line, giving Alma their tenth run of the game, looking to close the game out in seven innings.
With their final three outs, Trine looked to keep the game going, though Johnson continued his dominance on the mound, striking out the final three batters for a complete game shutout, totaling 15 strikeouts for his second straight appearance. Johnson also reached 100 strikeouts on the season with the 15 in game one, becoming the first player since Edwin Boyne in 1920 to accomplish the feat. Johnson now has 319 career strikeouts following the game, the only player in Alma history to surpass the 300 benchmark, as well as throwing his fifth complete game of his career.
Following the successful and historical game one, Alma reloaded and looked to secure the series with a game two win on home turf. Both teams held each other scoreless until the top of the fourth inning, where Trine took advantage of an error and a wild pitch to score their only run of the game, unearned against the Alma pitching staff.
Alma was kept quiet following the Thunder run until the sixth inning, where some simple base hits proved to be enough. Smith opened the inning up with a single to center field. Taha Ebrahim proved crucial with a double to right center, scoring Smith in the process to tie the game. Ebrahim would score the game-winning run on a Stephen McGlade single up the middle, before rounding out the inning.
The Scots added insult to injury for the Thunder in the eighth, kicking it off with a single from Kyler Warren. Ebrahim and Cole Grunwald would then be struck by pitches to load the bases. McGlade brought in the third Alma run with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Warren. Both runners then advanced on a wild pitch, before Bleasdale singled towards second, allowing for Ebrahim to score as the fielder couldn't decide which play to make.
Alma came away with a 4-1 victory to take two of the three in the series, adding crucial MIAA wins in a sporadic standings page currently. Bleasdale started the latter of the doubleheader on the mound, going for three innings, while only allowing three hits. Ryan Koob recorded two strikeouts in two-thirds of an inning, along with Evan Litwiller and Ken Fistler also recording one strikeout each as well. Litwiller was credited the win, moving to 3-1 on the season and Fistler earned his seventh save of the year.
The Scots will now have Sunday to rest before returning to action on Monday at Klenk Park against The University of Olivet, for a rescheduled doubleheader. Game times are set for 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM, as Alma heads towards the final week of the regular season.
