ADRIAN, Mich. – Late game heroics seem to be a theme for Kalamazoo baseball this week.
With one out, Zach Prystash on first and the game all square at 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth Thursday evening, Andre Gard drove a walk-off double to the left-center gap allowing the Hornets to down Calvin 2-1 in a win-or-go-home game on the second day of the MIAA tournament.
Kalamazoo will take on Adrian Friday needing to win two consecutive games to win back-to-back MIAA tournaments and earn an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. Tomorrow's first game will begin at 12 p.m. with game two set to begin at 3 p.m., if necessary.
Calvin struck first in the top of the fifth off Nic Janssen on an RBI single, but the senior left-handed pitcher limited the Knights' damage. The Hornets picked Janssen up in the bottom of the sixth when Mitch VanKoevering leveled the score with an RBI single to left field.
With Janssen providing a quality start and his day ending after six strong innings, the Hornets' bullpen stifled the Calvin bats in the following three innings. Joe Giacalone and Scott Zychowski allowed zero hits while striking out a combined seven batters. Zychowski ultimately earned the win.
Jordan Wiley and Alex Fultz led the Hornet bats with two hits apiece. In total, the Hornets recorded eight hits.
The Hornets hold a 30-13 overall record in 2017 heading into tomorrow's match up with Adrian.