DAVENPORT, Fla. - The Kalamazoo College baseball team continued its spring break trip with a match-up against Keuka on Friday afternoon (Mar. 24). After scoring six runs in the top of the first inning, the Hornets cruised to a 14-8 win over the Wolves for their fourth straight win.
Kalamazoo got the ball rolling after one out in the first as David Stechow reached on an error and Cooper Mills singles to left field. Harrison Poeszat brought both runners around on a single to right field. Another two errors on the defense allowed Cam Kelly and Robert Newland to load the bases. This would prove to be costly for the Wolves as Ryar Rinehart sent a ball to deep left field for a grand slam and his second home run of the season.
A run in the third extended the lead to seven as Kelly walked to begin the inning and then advanced to third base on a steal and an error. Newland was able to bring him in on an RBI groundout. Keuka cut into the Kalamazoo lead with a two-run home run in the bottom half of the inning.
The Hornet offense kept going to work in the fourth as Lukas Bolton singled threw the left side with one out and stole two bases to end up on third. Poeszat picked up his third RBI on the day with a sacrifice fly to left field. The lead reached nine in the sixth, with Newland creating a scoring opportunity. Newland singled to right center, stole second, stole third, and scored on a throwing error. Alex Fenkell got the inning going again with a single and a stolen base. Bolton then gained two RBI with a home run to left field for his first of the season.
The lead grew again in the sixth as Poeszat homered the straightaway center field for his second of the season. The bases loaded up again with a single by Kelly and two walks by Newland and Tanner Hawkins. Fenkell then reached on a catcher's interference, allowing Kelly to score. After that, the Wolves went on a run, scoring six straight runs in the sixth (1), seventh (1), and eighth (4) innings. A double, triple, and four bases-loaded walks were the scoring plays. Kalamazoo scored one last run in the ninth as Bolton was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a wild pitch, then stole third and scored on a throwing error.
Jacob Davis (2-1) went five and two-thirds innings in the win, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and a walk with seven strikeouts. Matt Butterly (zero runs), Jaden Williams (one run), and Charlie Peterson (four runs) got the next six outs. Blake Parpart did not allow a run in the last inning and a third, striking out three of the four outs.
Bolton, Mills, and Poeszat all had two hits in the game, as Mills added another two walks. Poeszat and Rinehart led the team with four RBI apiece. Bolton and Kelly scored three runs each for the Hornets, as Bolton also had two RBI.
Kalamazoo will finish its spring break trip in Florida with a game against St. Olaf on Saturday (Mar. 25).