ALMA, Mich. – Competing in the second day of back-to-back standalone nine-inning games, the Alma College baseball team returned to Klenk Park for the series finale against the Flying Dutchmen of Hope College on Tuesday, April 21st. The Scots fell behind early and dropped a costly game for the MIAA regular season title race, being outscored 14-11 to Hope.
Hope opened the game with six early runs as they batted through the lineup in the top of the first inning, putting Alma in a deeper hole than they would've liked to start. After Hopes influx of early runs, the Scots responded right away with a run in the bottom of the first as Grady Pieratt was walked and Giuseppe Sapienza reached first on a single. Alexander Kavalick drove in the solo run with a ground out to third, scoring Pieratt who was on third after a wild pitch earlier in the inning.
Alma brought the game back well within reach in the second inning as three consecutive walks to Cade Sutherland, Kaden Warren and Justin Diza loaded the bases for the Scots. A Pieratt sacrifice fly would score Sutherland and advance Warren to third before a Sapienza single to right field scored Warren and advanced Diaz to third. Kavalick then sent a double down the right field line, scoring both Diaz and Sapienza and bringing the Scots within one run, trailing 6-5.
Hope added an insurance run in the top of the third with a home run over the center field wall to build their lead back to two. Alma again cut the lead back to one in the bottom of the inning with a Diaz ground out as the bases were loaded, scoring Braylon Ryan who reached on an earlier single.
The Flying Dutchmen added another run in the fourth and the sixth to take a three-run lead before Alma put themselves back on the board again in the bottom of the sixth. Kaden Warren led the inning off with a stand-up triple to center field, before making it the last 90 feet on a Diaz sacrifice fly to left field, pulling the Scots within two again.
Another single run from Hope came across in the seventh as Alma matched the run in the bottom of the inning. Kavalick would reach base by an error and miscommunication from center and right field, as the ball would drop and Kavalick would reach third in the process. Cole Grunwald scored his teammate with a sacrifice fly to center field, keeping Alma within striking distance.
A four-run eighth inning saw the Scots trail by six when the inning came to a close as extra base hits proved to be huge for the Flying Dutchmen, sending four across home plate from the hits.
Alma looked to build a comeback resume in the ninth as Pieratt led the inning off with a double down the left field line. Sapienza got the scoring going with a single to center field, scoring Pieratt. A following double to right center field from Kavalick added another Scots run, scoring Preston Schroyer, the pinch runner. A late error by the Hope shortstop added another Scots run as Ryan reached first on the error, scoring Kyle Hand from second base, who also pinch ran. The Scots comeback would end there as the Flying Dutchmen picked up two huge outs and prevented the sweep for the series.
William Fockler was the Scots starter, followed by Brady Sager, who pitched four innings with one strikeout. Tyler Lasley saw three innings of work with one strikeout as well. Easton Tolson and Josh West rounded out the pitchers for Alma, both adding an inning of work as Tolson picked up a strikeout.
Alma will now turn their attention towards MIAA leading Kalamazoo College for a weekend series with the number six team in the nation. The Scots will travel to Kalamazoo on Friday, April 25th for a 4:00 PM nine inning game. The Scots will then host the Hornets on Saturday for a doubleheader at Klenk Park for Senior Day, starting at 1:00 and 4:00 PM.
