BRIGHTON, Mich. - The Kalamazoo College softball team won its first two games of 2018 inside the Legacy Center Sports Complex on Friday.
Kalamazoo defeated Albion College 4-2 in the opener before beating Madonna University 3-2.
Kalamazoo struck first against Albion with Hayleigh Alamo's RBI single in the bottom of the first. Albion took the lead in the top of the third with a 2-run home run to left field.
The Hornets had a runner in scoring position in four straight innings, but failed to push another run across until the bottom of the sixth inning when Kalamazoo rallied for three runs. After leading off the inning with a pair of singles, Andrea MacMichael drove a ball to deep centerfield to drive in two runs. The Hornets scored again on a fielding error to go up 4-2 entering the final inning.
Albion threatened with a pair of baserunners in the seventh, but a strikeout ended the game in favor of the Hornets.
Kalamazoo finished with seven hits in the game highlighted by Alamo's 2-for-4 effort.
Sammi Luzadre earned the win on the mound in her first career start, allowing six hits while striking out five and walking two.
Against Madonna, Kalamazoo again scored first with an unearned run in the top of the first.
Madonna evened the score in the second and took a 2-1 lead in the fourth.
Just like the first game, Kalamazoo found itself trailing in the sixth inning. And just like the first game, Kalamazoo rallied and pulled ahead in the sixth inning. This time Kalamazoo loaded the bases and took advantage of a pair of walks to force home two runs and take the lead.
Madonna threatened in the bottom of the sixth and went down in order in the seventh to end the game.
Andrea MacMichael singled and scored two runs while Sammi Luzadre doubled in the contest. Briana Huisken drew the walk to force home the game-winning run.
Keelin McManus earned the win in her first career start, allowing five hits while striking out four and walking four.
Kalamazoo is scheduled to return to action March 10th at Franklin College.