ADRIAN, Mich. – Another day and another strong starting pitching performance for Kalamazoo College.
After Ryan Orr's complete game win against Adrian College yesterday afternoon, Aaron Schwark took the mound for the Hornets in the second round of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association tournament against Hope and led K to a 2-0 win.
Schwark, who was named to the All-MIAA Second Team yesterday, tossed a complete game giving up nine hits and striking out four.
The Hornet bats gave Schwark support from the get-go as Jack Clark singled to right field driving in Jordan Wiley in the bottom of the first.
After Schwark pitched his way out of a small jam with runners on the corners in the top of the seventh, Kalamazoo moved another runner across home plate in the bottom half of the inning as Wiley doubled down the right field line scoring David Kracht.
Hope threatened again in the ninth as Ben De Ritter stepped to the plate with runners on the corners with two outs but Schwark slammed the door and forced De Ritter into a ground out.
Wiley, who moved up to the leadoff spot this afternoon, responded with a 2-for-4 performance while scoring and driving in a run.
Ian Kobernick also went 2-for-4 on the day from the two-hole.
With the win, Kalamazoo is one win away from an MIAA tournament championship and will have two opportunities to earn the title tomorrow, May 13, beginning at noon.