GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Calvin University baseball team scored an important 6-3 win over Alma College in midweek MIAA action on Tuesday.
Calvin (10-10, 3-1 MIAA) used a five-run third inning to take control of the game, and then held off Alma (9-14, 1-3 MIAA) the rest of the way thanks to a strong performance from starter
Drew Diehl (Lansing, Mich./Lansing Catholic Central) and four relievers to secure the win.
Diehl found himself in trouble early as the Scots loaded the bases in the first inning but escaped the jam with only one run allowed to keep the score close early.
After a pair of scoreless innings to start the game, the Calvin bats came alive in the third as they pounded six hits on the way to five runs in the frame to take a 5-1 lead. Six of the first seven batters in the inning hit singles to get on base, with
Ryan Schummer (West Lafayette, Ind./Central Catholic) and
Ryan Tschirhart (Clinton, Mich./Clinton) each driving in one run on bases-loaded singles, followed by
Nate Mason (Portage, Mich./Portage Northern) driving in two more on a two-run single of his own.
Matt Reynolds (Hopkins, Mich./Hopkins) ended the scoring with a squeeze bunt that scored Tschirhart from third base to give the Knights five runs in the inning.
Diehl settled into the game after a tough first inning and then escaped a bases loaded jam in the fourth without allowing a run before
Ethan DeBlecourt (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian/Spring Arbor) got the final out of the fifth inning in relief.
DeBlecourt allowed two runs in the sixth as the Scots cut the deficit to 5-3, but
Kyle Koning (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian) and
Ben Ferguson (Grandville, Mich./Grandville) combined to pitch 2.1 scoreless innings to get the Knights through the eighth.
Calvin added to its lead in the seventh on another RBI-single from Mason, who finished the day with three hits and three runs batted in.
With the Knights leading by three runs,
Alex DeAngelis (Plymouth, Mich./Salem) pitched a one-two-three final frame to earn his third save of the season.
Diehl finished the day allowing just the one run on two hits and five walks in 4.2 innings. DeBlecourt (2-2), Koning, Ferguson and DeAngelis combined to allow only three hits and two walks in 4.1 innings of work to help hold the lead.
The Calvin offense finished with 11 hits, led by Mason's three singles. Schummer and Reynolds each had two hits, while
Gabe Bonemer (Okemos, Mich./Okemos) added two runs scored and two stolen bases.
NEXT UP: Calvin baseball will return to action on Friday, April 4, when it begins a three-game series against Kalamazoo College with a home contest scheduled to start at 4:00 PM.
