DAVENPORT, Fla. - The Kalamazoo College baseball team finished its spring break trip with a match-up against St. Olaf on Saturday afternoon (Mar. 25). The Hornets scored at least a run in six of the nine innings on the way to a 13-7 victory over the Oles.
Kalamazoo scored the first two runs of the game in the first inning. After a pitch hit Lukas Bolton, he advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by David Stechow, stole third base, and scored on a throwing error by the St. Olaf catcher. The Hornets then loaded the bases on singles by Harrison Poeszat and Cam Kelly, plus a pitch also hit Robert Newland. Finally, Ryar Rinehart drew the bases-loaded walk to give Kalamazoo the second run.
St. Olaf scored a run in the first and second innings to tie the game. The Oles scored on RBI doubles in both innings. However, the Hornets responded with a run in the next three innings to take the lead for good. Liam Regan gained an RBI single in the third to plate Kelly after he walked earlier in the inning. In the fourth, Stechow began the frame with a single and a stolen base and was brought home with a single to center field by Cooper Mills. Then, Newland took it upon himself to produce a run by singling, stealing second, advancing to third on a flyout, and scoring on a wild pitch.
After St. Olaf got one back in the sixth, Kalamazoo scored the next eight runs to take a 13-3 lead. Following a single by Rinehart and two outs in the seventh, Tanner Hawkins reached on an error to keep the inning going. Bolton made them pay with a ground-rule double the bounced over the left field fence to bring in Rinehart. Stechow then knocked an RBI single to right field for Hawkins to score.
The big inning came in the eighth as another six runs crossed the plate. Kelly worked his way around the bases with a walk, a failed pick-off attempt error by the pitcher, advancing to third on a flyout, and scoring on a wild pitch. Beccari got the inning going again with a two-out infield single. Hawkins followed with a single of his own and then forced a bad throw on a pick-off attempt that allowed Leo Schinker (who ran for Beccari) to score. Another Oles error let Bolton reach and plated Hawkins. A bunt single by Stechow put two runners on, and both advanced on a wild pitch, with Bolton scoring. Mills collected another hit on a single up the middle that brought in Stechow and then scored on a wild pitch that Poeszat walked on.
St. Olaf made things interesting in the eighth and ninth innings, scoring four fours. Even though the lead shrunk to six, the Hornet pitching help on to grab the 13-7 win.
Braden Mussat got the start and pitched four and a third innings, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Joe Wade (1-0) finished the fifth inning with a double play. Kaden Sotomayor hit the one batter he faced that eventually scored. Chase Cummins pitched the sixth and seventh innings, allowing two runs (zero earned) on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts. After Cummins got in a jam, Brenden Oprinski struck out three hitters to get the Hornets out of the eighth unscathed. Gabe Sokol got two outs in the ninth, allowing two runs on three hits. Matt Butterly walked the two batters he faced, and then Blake Parpart came in for the final out.
Mills finished the game 3-4 at the plate with two walks, two RBI, and a run scored. Bolton had the only extra-base hit of the game and went 2-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Stechow was 2-3 at the plate with two runs, an RBI, and a walk. Rinehart was also 2-5 with a run, RBI, and walk.
Kalamazoo finished its spring break trip 7-3 by going 2-2 in Marietta and 5-1 in Florida. The Hornets will have their home opener on Tuesday (Mar. 28) against Maranatha Baptist, with the doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.