ROSSVILLE, Ga. - Opening day arrived for Covenant Baseball as it hosted Alma College from Michigan at Ridgeland High School for a doubleheader. The Scots took game one in a nail-biter, before falling to Alma late in game two.
Game 1 Final: Covenant 5, Alma 4
Records: Covenant (1-0), Alma (0-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- In the bottom of the second inning, Sam Cecil drove in Chris Savage with a RBI sacrifice fly to left field for the Scots first run of the year.
- Alma immediately tied the game in the third inning, using three singles to score a run.
- A leadoff homer by Dalton D'Alexander for Alma gave it the lead in the fifth inning.
- Alma threatened to score more runs in the fifth with a runner on third base and one out, however Covenant starting RHP Bryce Bollinger struck out two in a row to end the frame.
- With two outs in the fifth inning, Savage put Covenant back ahead with a 2-RBI double down the left field line.
- Alma responded in the sixth inning as D'Alexander hurt the Scots again, this time with a 2-RBI double to right field.
- Sam Cecil gave Covenant the lead to good with his first career home run, a 2-run shot to right field in the sixth inning.
- The game ended on a 5-3 double play in the ninth inning with Alma having runners on first and second base and one out.
GAME NOTES:
- The Scots had 10 hits, with Kenny Mills leading the way with three hits.
- Zeke Gilbert posted two hits for Covenant.
- Bollinger's final line was: (5 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 5 K).
- Jonathan Glover picked up the win (1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER).
- Aeden Beuning recorded the save (2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 ER).
Game 2 Final: Covenant 6, Alma 10
Records: Covenant (1-1), Alma (1-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Covenant raced out to a 4-0 lead in the third inning with a bases-loaded walk, a 2-RBI single by Chase McBryar, and a throwing error by the pitcher that scored Benjamin Johnson.
- Alma began its comeback in the fourth inning as an infield RBI single put it on the board.
- Avery Carnicom cut the lead to two runs in the fifth inning with a solo home run to center field.
- A pair of unearned runs later in the fifth inning tied the game at four.
- Zeke Gilbert and Chris Savage both went yard in the sixth inning to put the Scots back ahead 6-4.
- A leadoff triple by Kevin Tuttle led to another run for Alma in the seventh inning to put the score at 6-5.
- Three runs in the top of the eighth for Alma, two of which were unearned put Alma in the lead for good at 8-6.
- Two errors for Covenant in the top of the ninth eventually led to a 2-run home run by Carnicom.
GAME NOTES:
- Alma out-hit Covenant 14-7.
- Including his home run, Gilbert had two hits to lead the way for Covenant offensively.
- The Scots committed six defensive errors while Alma had just one.
- In his first start of the year, RHP Scotty Smith's line was: (3.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K).
UP NEXT: The rubber match of the series is scheduled for tomorrow at 9 a.m. at Ridgeland High School.
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