KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo College baseball team defeated Alma 7-4 on Wednesday afternoon in the first game of a doubleheader.
The Hornets for the second game in a row fell behind early as the Scots were able to hang two runs on the board in the bottom of the second inning. After that Hornet starter Nic Janssen threw three innings of scoreless ball.
Kalamazoo tied the game in the top of the fourth inning off a double from John Jackoviak that brought in two. After Jackoviak, Alex Fultz and Nate Donovan each drove in a run to give the Hornets a 4-2 lead. Carter Chandler added an RBI in the fifth and Aidan Cullen added another in the top of the seventh. These insurance runs were clutch as the Scots added two of their own in the bottom of the sixth.
Nic Janssen was terrific in his start, throwing five innings while only giving up two runs on two hits. Janssen also struck out six batters. Ryan Orr earned his first save of the year after pitching two innings of clutch scoreless ball. Orr struck out four batters and only gave up two hits.
Kalamazoo dropped the second game, 6-4.
Alma took advantage of an error in the third inning to score three of its six runs in the frame. Kalamazoo chipped away with two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth and sixth innings to make it a 6-4 game. The Hornets put two runners on in the seventh with one out, but were unable to push any more runs across.
Kalamazoo outhit Alma 9-7 in the game, but the Hornets left six runners on base.
Joey Aliotta and John Jackoviak each homered in the game. Jackoviak finished 2-for-3.
Ian Kobernick was 2-for-3 with a double. Carter Chandler also doubled in the game.
Kalamazoo (10-6, 7-1) is now in a tie for first place in the MIAA. The Hornets resume conference play at home on Friday with a doubleheader against Albion scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.