RICHMOND, Ind. - The Kalamazoo College baseball team split a pair of games in dramatic fashion at Earlham College on Sunday. Kalamazoo won the first game in 12 innings while getting out of multiple jams, but dropped the second game 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Kalamazoo won the first game 5-4 in 12 innings. Kalamazoo scored a run in the first and led until Earlham tied it up in the third. The Hornets scored three runs in the fifth and held the 4-1 lead until the bottom of the ninth. The first two runners reached base and the Quakers ended up scoring three runs to tie the game and send it to extra innings.
Kalamazoo finally pushed a run across the board in the top of the 12th inning. Jack Clark led off with a triple and scored on a Ian Kobernick's single to leftfield. Earlham loaded the bases in the bottom of the 12th before Joe Giacalone got the final batter to fly out for the save. Earlham had also loaded the bases in the bottom of the 11th and failed to score.
Ian Kobernick finished 3-for-7 at the plate with a double and the go-ahead RBI. Scott Devine was 2-for-5 with a double, two walks and two RBI. Jack Clark was 2-for-5 with the triple in the 12th. Josh Reuter was 2-for-2 with a double. Alex Fultz drove in two runs.
Kalamazoo outhit Earlham 13-12.
Ryan Orr pitched eight strong innings in his collegiate debut before being relieved in the top of the ninth. He finished with six strikeouts while walking just one. Zach Popovich was credited with the win in 2/3 innings of relief.
Game two...
Kalamazoo allowed a lead to slip away in the second game as the Hornets fell 7-6. Kalamazoo scored three runs in the first and two in the third to take a 5-0 lead. Earlham scored one in the fourth and two in the fifth to make it a 5-3 game. The Quakers scored again in the eighth to make it 5-4, but a Hornet insurance run in the top of the ninth made it a 6-4 game headed to the bottom frame. Earlham scored a pair of runs to tie the game before scoring the game-winner on a bases loaded walk with two outs.
Jack Clark was 3-for-5 with two RBI. Scott Devine and Joey Aliotta each had a pair of hits including triples. Both players also stole a base while Devine scored three times and Aliotta had an RBI. Carter Chandler also drove in a pair of runs in the game.
Nic Janssen pitched six solid innings in the start allowing three hits and two earned runs while striking out five and walking three.
Kalamazoo is scheduled to start MIAA play with a doubleheader at Calvin College on Friday, March 20.