Cougars Sweep Scots with Dominant Performances in Home Opener

(Howell, MI) -- The Cleary Cougars Baseball team started a four-game weekend series with the Alma College Scots today. It was the Cougar's first home games of the season and would go on to sweep today's doubleheader. 

In Game 1: Conner Boone kicked things off right away for the Cougars in the bottom of the first with a triple to right center. Brendan Seman followed him with a sacrifice fly to right field and gave the Cougars an early 1-0 lead. Both teams settled into the game but Alma would tie it in the fourth. They would add two more runs in the fifth and take a 3-1 lead over the Cougars. The Cougar's offense would take over from there as they would get to the Alma pitching staff scoring six runs in the bottom half of the inning. Conner Boone kicked off the scoring with a double that scored Brady Alverson and Austin Vincent. After Brendan Seman singled, Joey Parinello hit a double scoring both Conner Boone and Brendan Seman. After scoring another run on a wild pitch, Braylon Hughes stepped up and singled with two outs in the inning to center field scoring Peyton Mullins. Alma would get a run back in the sixth however it wouldn't be enough. Marty McDonald would come in to pitch and shut it down, picking up his second save on the season. 

Hector Montilla (1-2) picked up his first win on the mound this season with a final stat line of 5.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R (2 ER), 0BB, and 6 SO. Marty McDonald came into the game and picked up his second save of the season throwing the final 1.2 innings. 

In Game 2: The Cougars kicked things off in the second inning scoring the game's first three runs. After two walks, Freshman Jake VanderHaar singled to right field scoring Joey Parinello and Brodie Mackay. Austin Vincent later singled in the inning scoring Braylon Hughes and giving the Cougars a 3-0 lead. Cougar pitcher Will Roberts was once again lights out as he would keep the Scots off the scoreboard during his outing. The Cougars picked up two more runs in the fifth. The first came off of a Joey Parinello sacrifice fly that scored Conner Boone. The second run came from Ryan Rose who singled and scored Brendan Seman. Alma would join the scoreboard in the sixth inning to cut the Cougar lead to 5-2. The Cougars got one run back with an immediate response with an RBI single from Brodie Mackay. Alma cut the lead once again in the eighth inning with a two-run home run making it a 6-4 ballgame. The Cougars wouldn't back down and get those runs back in the bottom half of the inning. Brady Alverson would come up with a pinch-hit 2 RBI single that scored Braylon Hughes and Austin Vincent. Haden Fisk came into the ballgame in the eighth inning on the mound for the Cougars and would shut down the Scots to pick up his second save on the season. 

Will Roberts (3-1) would get the win on the mound after going 5.0 IP and allowing 2 runs. Jake VanderHaar's single and 2 RBIs were the first of his collegiate career. 

The Cougars improve to 8-6 on the season and will finish their four-game weekend series with the Scots tomorrow afternoon. First pitch of game one is set for 1:00 PM with game two following approximately 30 minutes later.