ALBION, Mich. - The #21 Kalamazoo College baseball team defeated Albion 9-1 in the MIAA opener on Friday (Mar. 29). The Hornets improved their record to 12-4 (1-0 MIAA) on the season, and the Britons fell to 8-10 (0-1 MIAA) in 2024.
Scoring Plays
Kalamazoo scored the game's first run in the first inning when Tanner Hawkins hit a one-out double, and Harrison Poeszat traded places with him on a double to center field.
The Hornets extended their lead to 4-0 in the third inning as Cooper Mills reached on an error, and Hawkins singled to put two runners on. Poeszat brought them both in on a three-run home run to right field for his third of the season. Albion responded with a run in the bottom of the inning to cut the K lead to three.
Kalamazoo got the run back in the fifth inning with an RBI single by Ryar Rinehart, who brought in Hawkins. After hitting into two outs in the seventh inning, the Hornets scored another pair of runs. After loading the bases with two batters being hit by a pitch and a walk, the Britons made an error that allowed two runs to score.
With the scoreboard reading 7-1 heading into the ninth inning, the Hornets scored another two runs for the eight-run win. Hawkins scored his fourth run of the game on another Poeszat double after walking to begin the inning. Poeszat then moved up on a sacrifice bunt and Rinehart brought him in on an RBI groundout.
Pitching
Jacob Davis (3-1) started the conference season strong by allowing one run on eight hits over eight and a third innings with three strikeouts. Owen Schihl came in and struck out the next two batters to end the game.
Hitting
Harrison Poeszat was 3-4 with two doubles, a home run, three runs scored, and five runs batted in to lead the offense. Tanner Hawkins was also 3-4 with a double and a walk, scoring all four times he was on base. Ryar Rinehart was on base twice with a hit and a walk and drove in two runs.
STATISTICS
2B: Poeszat 2 (7), Bolton (2), Hawkins (6)
3B: none
HR: Poeszat (3)
RBI: Poeszat 5 (31), Rinehart 2 (5)
Sac Fly: none
Sac Bunt: Stechow (4)
SB: none
BB: Lockhart (5), Mills (16), Rinehart (5)
HBP: Poeszat (3), Stechow (4)
(Season Total)
Up Next
Kalamazoo will finish the three-game series against Albion with a doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 30, beginning at 1 p.m. Originally scheduled to be Kalamazoo's home opener, the games have been moved to Albion, Mich., due to potential weather in the Kalamazoo area.