Alma, MI – Alma College Softball was in action on Thursday evening, taking on the nationally ranked Thunder of Trine University in MIAA play. Alma lost game one 9-3, before stunning the second ranked team in the country in game two, 7-5.
No. 2 Trine 9, Alma 3
Trine opened the scoring in game one in the 1
st inning, when a two-out double scored a pair of runs. The Thunder added a run with a solo homer in the 3
rd, before Alma answered in the 4
th. The Scots scored their first run of the day on a bases-loaded catcher's interference call. Moments later,
Mckenna Salley hit an infield single to the shortstop, with
Katelyn Thomas safe at home to make it 3-2.
Trine connected on a game-defining four spot in the 5
th, leading 7-2 before adding another run on an RBI double in the 6
th. With Alma trailing 8-2, the Scots hit back with another RBI single from Salley in the bottom of the inning to score
Camille Lozmack. A sac fly from Trine scored the final run of the game in the 7
th, the score resting at 9-3.
Alma had eight hits in the loss, with Thomas and Salley accounting for three apiece.
Morgan Westall (14-4) pitched six innings in the loss. She allowed eight runs on 11 hits and four walks while striking out five.
Grace Main pitched one inning in relief, allowing one run on one hit.
Alma 7, No. 2 Trine 5
In game two, it was the Scots who scored in the top of the 1
st inning, when
Jordyn Porter singled to left center to score
Haylie Alsip. Alma got a pair of sac flies from
Julia Duncan and Lozmack to plate two more runs and led 3-0 off the bat. In the bottom of the 1
st Trine scored on a sac fly, but Alma answered immediately in the 2
nd, with a
Peyton Fether single down the left field line to score
Kacee Gray.With Alma leading 4-1, Trine clapped back in the 3
rd with another solo homer, before finally breaking through in the 5
th for three more runs to take the lead.
A major momentum swing late would define the game, when a catcher's interference call against Trine reversed an inning-ending flyout to right field. With new life, it was Duncan who drilled a single to center field to tie the game at 5-5, and Thomas who doubled down the left field line moments later to score Duncan and Porter. Leading 7-5,
Mikaylyn Kenney shut things down, and Alma ran out 7-5 winners.
Alma pounded out 11 hits in the win, getting two-hit games from Alsip, Fether, Thomas, and Holzinger.
Bella Treloar got the start in the circle, pitching 4.1 innings. She allowed five runs on five hits and four walks with a strikeout. Main entered the game, allowing two hits in relief before giving way to
Mikaylyn Kenney (8-4). The senior pitched 2.2 innings in relief, holding Trine to just one hit while striking out three en route to the win.
The Scots are back in action on Saturday, when they celebrate senior day against Hope College in their regular season finale.
