ALMA, Mich. – The boys from Alma got to honor the late Toby Keith ranging through the Klenk Park speakers with "Beer for my Horses" one final time for the 2025 season as baseball defeated Kalamazoo College in their final home game of the season 4-1, on Friday, May 2nd. Alma took the first lead of the game and never looked back as a 105-year-old record was surpassed after being tied earlier in the week.
Tyler Johnson walked out to the bump on Klenk Park one final time as a senior, needing one strikeout to pass Edwin Boyne from 1920 who had 100 strikeouts in a season. After two flyouts to right field, Johnson gave Ryar Rinehart two strikeouts in a count looking for the third to make history. Johnson ultimate got Rinehart to swing for the record-breaking swing, becoming the only pitcher in Alma history with more than 101 strikeouts in a season.
Johnson's teammates made his life a little easier in the bottom of the first as well as Bleasdale opened up the Scots offense with a double to left center. Brant Goodpaster advanced Bleasdale to third with a small ball sacrifice bunt. Ryan Kracht collected the first RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Bleasdale who tagged up and trotted home.
After a scoreless second inning, Alma struck again in the bottom of the third. Again, the Scots were led off by a double, this time from Mitch Foley to left center. Cameron Bleasdale would lay down the sacrifice bunt to advance Foley to third before Goodpaster singled through the right side, sending Foley home and putting the Scots on top, 2-0.
After a stretch of scoreless innings, where both teams had runners in scoring positions, Alma was the first to break the silence in the seventh, where Guiseppe Sapienza singled, Stephen McGlade walked and Foley also singled, loading the bases with one out. A pickoff attempt would be ruled a balk by the umpire, advancing each base runner forward, scoring Sapienza and giving Alma their third run of the game. The Scots again added another insurance run in the eighth as Kracht singled towards third base. Tony Smith knew the drill and placed a sacrifice bunt down to advance Kracht to third before Kyler Warren singled up the middle, scoring Kracht for Alma's fourth run. The Hornets found life in the top of the ninth as they were able to bring one run home, though the Scots defense would hold tight and give Alma their ninth and final win of the year at home.
Johnson pitched four innings for the Scots racking up six strikeouts along the way. Evan Litwiller was credited the win, moving him to 4-1 on the year as he recorded two strikeouts in the action as well. Tyler Sparks also saw action, not letting up a hit before Ken Fistler closed out the game recording his eighth save of the year in the process.
Alma will now close out the regular season on Saturday, May 3rd as they travel to Kalamazoo College for a doubleheader that still has implications on MIAA Tournament seeding. The Scots have qualified for the third straight year and look to make some noise in the tournament. Game time for the doubleheader is set for 1:00 and 4:00 PM.
