Alma Takes Extra Innings to Defeat Britons
ALMA, Mich. - Alma College baseball improved to 15-16 overall and 11-11 in MIAA action with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Albion College today at Klenk Park. The Scots won the first game 2-0 and the second 3-2 in eight innings.
Game one saw Brandon Teenier (Holly) throw the complete game, striking out six and allowing just two hits in seven innings of work.
Alma scored two runs in the bottom of the third when Jeremy Stephens (Maple Rapids/Fulton-Middleton) hit a lead-off double down the left field line. Ray Ribitch (Mt. Pleasant) advanced Stephens to third with a sacrifice bunt and Pat Ott (East Lansing) ground out on a sacrifice bunt to plate Stephens for the game-winning run. Pete Ott (East Lansing) singled to center field and stole second, scoring on a Pat McGuire (Clare) single into left. Mike Slesinski (Milford) would reach on the fielder's choice for the final out of the inning.
In game two, pitching came by committee as Wade Slavik (Ashley/Fulton-Middleton) got the start, going five innings and allowing two hits and striking out one before John Fillmore (Midland) came in, throwing one-third of an inning and walking two batters before Brandon Shorter (Alanson) came in, closing the game and picking up the win in two and two-thirds innings, scattering three hits and striking out three.
Alma got one run in the first when with two outs on the board, Pete Ott tripled to right center, followed by a McGuire RBI single to score Ott. Alma would put up another run in the bottom of six when McGuire knocked one clean over Klenk Park's green monster in left field.
But Albion answered with two runs in the top of the seventh. Alma could not generate offense in the bottom of the seventh but answered in the eighth when Ray Ribitch led off with a single to left field and took second when they tried to catch Alma's all-time stolen base leader and failed. Pat Ott sacrificed Ribitch to third before Pete Ott and Pat McGuire were intentionally walked to load the bases and force the out. What the Britons hadn't figured on was the bat of third baseman Mike Slesinski who knocked the RBI single to win the game in the bottom of the eighth.
Alma returns to action Saturday when they make the return trip to Albion for doubleheader action.
Posted: Thu, April 27th, 2006 at 6:23PM
