Cougars Can't Contain Alma Offense in Sunday Sweep

(Howell, MI) -- The Cleary Cougars Baseball team wrapped up their weekend series with the Alma College Scots today. The Scots offense was too much for the Cougars to handle as they would sweep the doubleheader. 

In Game 1: The Cougars kicked things off right away and took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Joey Parinello singled which allowed Conner Boone to score from second base. Alma shut the Cougar threat down with back-to-back strikeouts with runners on second and third. They then came out and hit two three-run home runs to take a 6-1 lead over the Cougars just one inning into the ballgame. Alma would go on to score five more unanswered runs before the Cougars looked to build a comeback. Austin Vincent led off the fifth inning with a double which was followed by a pinch-hit double from Joseph Miller to score him. Keegan Hutchinson later pinch-hit in the inning and singled to left field to score Joseph Miller. In the sixth inning with the bases loaded and two outs, Conner Boone hit an infield single to score Hector Montilla. Keegan Hutchinson came up right after him and singled scoring Jake VanderHaar and Austin Vincent. Alma would go on to add two more in the bottom half of the inning and shut down the Cougars in the seventh to hand the Cougars a 13-6 loss.

Jacob Savina (2-1) got the start for the Cougars and suffered his first loss of the season. Keegan Hutchinson's single and RBI in the fifth inning were the first of his collegiate career. 

In Game 2: The Cougars once again came out and got an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Joey Parinello singled that scored Conner Boone from third base. Alma immediately responded in the bottom half of the inning and tied it 1-1. The Scots would take over from there and score four more runs between the second and third innings. The Cougars were able to pick up two more runs in the fourth when Austin Vincent doubled that scored Ryan Rose and Brady Alverson. Alma once again immediately responded and took over the game with five runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. The Scots would then go on to score three runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to build their lead to 16-3. The Cougars were able to get a run back in the seventh inning when Conner Boone doubled to left center and scored Chase Palmer from first base. The lone run was not enough though as the Cougars would get run-ruled in the seventh inning and get sent home with a 16-4 loss.  

Brendan Seman (1-2) picked up the loss on the mound after allowing 7 runs (5 earned) in 3.1 innings pitched. Austin Vincent picked up two RBIs for the Cougars. 

The Cougars are now 8-8 on the season and will pick things back up this Tuesday, March 11th when they take on the Rio Grande Red Storm. The doubleheader will be the last nonconference series before WHAC Conference play starts for the Cougars. First pitch is set for 1:00 PM.