Flying Dutchmen Make It A Clean Sweep On Diamond, McAlpin Knocks First Alma Homerun of Season
HOLLAND, Mich. - Freshman outfielder Mike McAlpin (Mt. Pleasant) went 2-for-4 with a homerun in the third game of a four-game home-and-home series, ultimately seeing the Scots fall 10-3. The second game was a narrow 6-5 loss for the Scots. With the back-to-back losses, Alma falls to 1-9, 0-4 in MIAA action after dropping the first four MIAA games of the season to Hope.
In game one, McAlpin put the Scots on the board, answering Hope's two-run first inning. McAlpin knocked a solo shot to give the Scots a single run.
With two runs in the first, and adding another in the bottom of the third, Hope held a 3-1 lead. Alma answered again in the top of three when Ray Foley (New Hudson/South Lyon) led off with a single, earned second with a walk issued to Dan Merian (Milford) and another walk to Mike Sleskinski (Milford) to load the bases. Hope pitcher Guerriero would walk in the only run of the inning with a walk issued to Josh Reece (Norton Shores/Muskegon Mona Shores).
Hope would score seven more runs in the bottom fo the third. Both teams would play scoreless through the fourth, fifth and sixth innings before Alma answered with a run in the top of seven. Slesinski scored the only run of the inning, earning first base when he was hit by pitch, taking second with a single by McAlpin and moving to third with a walk to Jeremy Stephens (Fulton/Middleton). Sleskinski would score when Bobby Jock (Wales/Memphis) earned first on a fielder's choice. It was the final score of the game for either team.
Pitcher John Fillmore (Midland) started the game, throwing 2.1 innings, allowing eight earned runs on six hits while walking two batters. Tom Montgomery threw in relief, going 3.2 innings while allowing three hits and two earning runs.
In game two, Alma took the lead in the top of the third inning with two runs, but Hope answered with a run in the bottom of the third. Alma would score in the fifth - two more runs - but Hope answered again in the bottom of the inings. It was the sixth inning that proved the difference with two more runs for the Flying Dutchmen. Both Hope and Alma would score a single run in the seventh inning.
In the first scoring inning, Dre Tarkington (Alpena) took first on a base on balls. Bobby Jock would take first on a fielder's choice with Tarkington out at second. Jock would steal second and Merian would fly out to right field for the second out of the inning. Foley singled to move Jock to third base and with two outs, Slesinski doubled to plate Jock and Foley for a two-run lead. McAlpin would strike out to end the inning.
Alma added two more runs in the fifth inning after Jock led off with a single. Merian would earn first with a bad play by Hope's pitcher Grose, attempting the sacrifice bunt to move Jock to second, but earning first after a muffed play by Hope's pitcher. With Foley up and Merian at second and Jock on third, Foley singled to send Merian to third and score Jock as the only earned run of the inning.
Slesinski ground out to second for the first out of the inning - plating Merian - before McAlpin took first on a base on balls. Reece would fly out to center field and Stephens would ground out to second to end the inning.
The final run of the game came in the seventh inning after Merian led off with a fly out to right. Foley walked and then advanced to second on an error at shortstop. An error at second moved Foley to third base when Slesinski earned first on a fielder's choice scenario on the same play. McAlpin then hit a sacrifice ground ball to third base to plate Foley, unearned. The final out of the inning - and ultimately the game for the Scots - came on a fly out by Josh Reece.
Tied up and entering the final inning of the second - and final - game of the series, Hope answered with Stephens on the mound. Doud sent a solo shot over the fence to score the final run of the game, a heartbreaker for the Scots.
Alma returns to action with a home-and-home series beginning against Calvin College Thursday at Klenk Park.
Posted: Mon, March 26th, 2007 at 10:53PM
