GRAND RAPIDS - The Calvin University baseball team survived a 14-run comeback from Alma College to win 17-16 on a walk-off double by Matt Raymond on Wednesday.

After allowing a run in the first inning, Calvin (13-12, 5-3 MIAA) scored 15 unanswered runs to take a 15-1 lead after five innings.

The Knights posted six runs on six hits in the first inning, one in the third, six more in the fourth, and then scored twice in the fifth to take what looked to be an insurmountable lead.

Alex Owen (St. Johns, Mich./St. Johns) started the game and cruised through the first five innings before running into trouble in the sixth, when Alma (10-15-1, 5-3 MIAA) sent 15 batters to the plate and scored 11 runs off Owen and three Calvin relievers to cut the Knights' lead to 15-12.

After the Scots scored twice in the seventh to cut the Calvin lead to one, Gabe Bonemer (Okemos, Mich./Okemos) pushed the Knights back ahead by two with a single that scored Patrick Gillen (Jensen Beach, Fla./Jensen Beach).

The Knights held that two-run lead into the ninth, when Alma knotted the score at 16-16 with a pair of runs off reliever Ryley Reynolds (Meridian, Miss./Russell Charter Academy). 

The game would not be tied for long, as Gillen reached base on an error to lead off the inning, and Raymond (Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy) sent a double over the head of the Scots' right fielder to score Gillen from second base to win the game.

The offense came up big throughout the game for the Knights as they pounded 17 hits while also taking advantage of five Alma errors. Gillen went 4-6 with one run batted in and five runs scored in the game, while Nate Mason (Portage, Mich./Portage Northern) and Bonemer each finished with three hits. Mason and Gillen each hit a pair of doubles in the game, while Caden Penn (Macomb, Mich./Lutheran North), Bonemer, Raymond and Ryan Brown (Caledonia, Mich./Caledonia) also hit doubles in the game.

Owen allowed six runs on seven hits in five-plus innings in the start. Reynolds (3-0) earned the win after allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits in three innings of relief. 

COACH'S COMMENT: "That was a wild one," Calvin head baseball coach Kevin Van Duyn said. "I can't remember winning a game when we allowed an 11-run inning. We did well to get the big lead, and unfortunately didn't play very well after that. We made way too many mistakes defensively and you can't do that against an offense like Alma has. Fortunately, our guys kept battling until the end and we were able to come away with the win in the end. We're happy with the win, but we're going to need to be better in some areas going forward."

NEXT UP: Calvin baseball will return to action on Friday, April 14, when it travels to Kalamazoo for the start of a weekend series against Kalamazoo. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 PM.