KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Alma College baseball team hit the road for the final time on the regular season as they traveled south to Kalamazoo for the final double header of the season. In games to determine playoff seeding, Alma dropped a close one in game one by a score of 6-5 and pulled out an extra innings victory in the grudge match, winning 9-6 in 11 innings.
After winning game one of the series on Friday, Alma looked to lock up the series in game one on Saturday. Kalamazoo opened the scoring for the early game of the doubleheader in the bottom of the second inning. Two singles and a throwing error led to the Hornets first run of the game, putting the Scots in an early deficit.
The top of the third saw Mitch Foley lead the inning off with a double down the left field line. Brant Goodpaster would ground out to short, advancing Foley to third on the play. Ryan Kracht placed a ball towards third, reaching first on a throwing error and advancing to second, while Foley scored from third and tied the game at 1-1. Alma would take their first and only lead of the game in the top of the fourth, as Kyler Warren singled to right field, followed by him stealing second during the next batter. Giuseppe Sapienza then reached first on a single, scoring Warren from second to put Alma on top 2-1.
The Hornets brought the game back to an even 2-2 score in the fifth inning, scoring a run off of two doubles in the inning. Kalamazoo would take their second lead of the game in the sixth with a solo run off a couple singles, bringing the score to 3-2. The home team really opened the scoring up in the seventh, tacking on three more runs to pull their lead to four runs, with six outs left for the Scots.
Tony Smith drew a leadoff walk, and then was sent home by a Stephen McGlade double to left field, cutting the deficit to three. Sapienza then singled toward the pitcher and scored McGlade to cut the Hornet lead in half, with one out in the eighth. Cole Grunwald was walked and Foley singled through the left side, loading the bases for Alma, before a Kalamazoo pitching change. Cameron Bleasdale gave the new mound boss some trouble with a single towards second, scoring a run in the process to bring the Scots within one. Though, the Scots run in the eighth would end there as Alma would leave two on base and trail one heading into the bottom of the inning. Three straight flyouts in the ninth would bring game one to a close, with the Hornets evening the series at one game apiece.
Bleasdale started on the mound for Alma, pitching two innings and allowing two hits. Cade Sutherland pitched two and two-thirds in relief, striking out one and allowing three hits. Tyler Sparks saw an inning and an out with one strikeout as Josh West came in for two-thirds of an inning. Chase Balhoff closed out the final inning and an out, also collecting a strikeout.
With the series all tied up, and tournament seeding still to be determined, both teams had something to play for heading into the final game of the regular season. Kalamazoo again jumped out to the first lead of the game, this time in the bottom of the first, taking a 1-0 lead. The Hornets proceeded to add another four runs in the third inning to go ahead by five, putting the Scots in a larger deficit early in the game. Another individual run for Kalamazoo came in the fifth, extending their lead to six as Alma looked to break the ice.
The Scots broke through in the sixth, as Bleasdale reached first after being hit by a pitch, followed by a Jack McIntosh walk. Kracht singled through the left side, scoring Bleasdale from second and putting Alma on the board. With runners at second a third following a groundout, Kavalick drew an intentional walk to load the bases. Charlie Martyn made the Hornets pay with that decision, tripling to right field, scoring all three base runners and bringing the score to 6-4 in favor of Kalamazoo.
The Scots were able to tie the game up in the seventh, beginning with Foley connecting for a single to left field. Bleasdale followed after with a single of his own to center before a wild pitch would advance both runners to second and third. Braden Andrejack cleaned up the action with a single through the left side, scoring both runners and collecting two RBI for the freshman as the game was tied at sixes.
Both teams would hold each other scoreless for the remainder of regulation, as the final game of the regular season needed extra innings to determine a winner. Both teams again were scoreless in the tenth, heading into the 11th, looking to name a winner of the series.
Warren led the 11th off by reaching first on an error before stealing second with zero outs. Foley then put the Scots in top with an RBI single through the left side, scoring Warren and advancing himself to second during the play. Bleasdale followed suit with a sacrifice bunt, advancing Foley to third. Kracht then drew a walk and Sapienza reached first on another error by the Hornets, scoring Foley for a two-run Scots lead. Taha Ebrahim pinch hit and drew a walk to load the bases in the inning, looking to increase the lead. With a full count, Kracht took off for home and was hit by the pitch in the process, while also scoring and giving Alma their ninth run of the game by stealing home. The Scots headed into the bottom of the inning with a three-run lead. Sutherland saw action for the second time on the day, collecting three more outs and his first save of the season, giving Alma the series victory.
Ken Fistler started game two on the bump, pitching two innings and striking out three. Tommy Ches and Alex Hardacre each saw action in relief along with Ryan Koob who struck out four in three and a third innings of work. Josh West was credited the win, pitching one and two-thirds while striking out two and Sutherland collected the save.
Alma will now head into MIAA Tournament play, taking place from Wednesday May 7th through Friday, May 9th, at Adrian College. Tournament seeding and the schedule will be released shortly as they Scots look to win their first tournament championship since it was added in 2012.
