ALC Baseball takes 3 of 4 in Michigan

Kentwood, MI: The Alice Lloyd Eagles baseball team ventured north to battle the Grace Christian University Tigers for a 4-game series in Michigan.

April 17th

Game 1

Alice Lloyd-1: Grace Christian-3

The Tigers won in a pitcher's duel

The Bluegrass boys scored out of the gate when Diego Rodriguez (SS) walked and advanced on a single from Jayden Huff (LF). Eventually, he scored on a bases-loaded walk (1-0). However, that would be the guest's lone score.

 GCU then knotted up the match on a solo homer in the bottom of the second, 1-1.

 The pitching was solid as neither club would score again until the sixth. In the bottom-half of that inning, Grace stroked a pair of singles and saw the Kentucky kids commit a pair of costly errors. This enabled two Tigers to race home and lift the host squad to a 3-1 cushion.

Down to their final chance, the Caney Crew placed a pair of runners on the basepaths. Unfortunately, a long fly out would end the day and hand the Michigan squad the victory.

For Alice Lloyd, Huff, Kyle Johnson (CF), Aaron Rothballer (DH), and Kyle Compton (3B) each recorded 1 hit while Compton had the lone RBI.

Ryan Grubbs started on the mound, deserving a better fate as he took the loss. In 5.1innings of work, he allowed 2 runs on 4 hits.  He stuck out 4 and walked 0.

Brayden Norton appeared in relief, allowing 1 hit and 1 run in 0.2 innings.

The Eagles dropped the hitting battle 5-4, and hindered their chances with 4 errors.

Game 2

Alice Lloyd-8, Grace Christian-2

The visitors turned the tables to take the second contest.

The match was scoreless until the third. In that inning, ALC used a Elijah Breeding (RF) single and a pair of hit-batsmen to plate 4 big runs (4-0).

Grace would slice into that deficit in the same inning, plating 2 runs on a double (4-2. The score held until the sixth.

In that inning, the Pippa Passes posse rode a double from Rodriguez, plus singles from Drake Cole (C) and Huff to earn 3 important runs and pull ahead 7-2.

They then added an important insurance run in the seventh on a wild throw from the Tigers (7-2). The contest would end shortly after when Grace went down in order.

For ALC, Johnson and Huff both smacked a pair of hits while Cole provided 2 RBIs.

Gibbs Cochran started on the mound and took the complete-game victory. In 7 innings, he allowed just 3 hits and 1 earned run with 5 whiffs and 0 walks.

The Eagles won the hitting battle 7-3 and were aided by 5 Tiger errors.

April 18th

Game 3

Alice Lloyd-8: Grace Christian-3

The Eagles jumped ahead quickly and took the third game.

The Bluegrass boys scored out of the gate when they loaded the bases for Huff and saw him clear the paths with a grand slam. (4-0). Later, a sacrifice fly made the score 5-0.

The game remained unchanged until the fifth. In the top of the inning, Rothballer and Challen Massengill (LF) offered a pair of singles which led to another pair of runs (7-0).

The Michigan club would gain a run back in the lower half of the inning on a single (7-1), only to see ALC make that right back on a squeeze-bunt play from Grover Maynard (DH). This made the score 8-1.

 In their final at-bat, the Tigers managed a pair of scores, courtesy of a double and two singles (8-3). However, the final batter would pop up to hand the Pippa Passes posse the win.

For Alice Lloyd, Huff's big blast with 4RBIs and Massengill's 2 hits led the way.

Sunny Smith achieved the 'W' starting on the mound, In 5 innings of work, he allowed 1 run on 5 hits.  He stuck out 1 and walked 0.

Matt Hebar appeared in relief, allowing 3 hits and 2 runs in 2 innings.

The Eagles won despite dropping the hitting battle 8-7 and committing the contests lone error.

Game 2

Alice Lloyd-12, Grace Christian-6

The visitors saved their best performance for last, turning to the long-ball to clinch the series.

The Caney Crew opened the game with a Rodriguez double and Colton Lovelace (3B) single to lead 1-0.

After a double and Eagle error in the bottom of the inning lifted Grace to a 2-1 advantage, the Bluegrass boys unleashed the big bats.

In the Alice Lloyd second, a Huff double, combined with 3 Tiger errors, allowed the Kentucky kids to plate 4 big runs. They now regained the lead, 5-2, and blew the contest open in the fifth.

Massengill opened the inning with a double. Kyle Johnson (CF) then followed him and uncorked a home run (7-2). The next batter was Rodriguez, and he promptly belted a homer of his own to make the score 8-2. Then, after a pitching change by the Tigers, Lovelace hit the third blast to make the score 9-2. Incredibly, Huff batted next and pounded the ball over the fence as well. The fourth-consecutive homerun made the scoreboard 10-2.

Grace did line a trio of singles in the same inning which led to 2 runs (10-6). They inched closer in the sixth, using a double to gain 2 more scores (10-6).

However, the Mountain men iced the game in the seventh when Massengill knocked a 2-run blast of his own to double his crew's advantage (12-6).

GCU then went down swiftly in their final opportunity to send the blue and white back to the Southeast in a good mood.

For ALC, Huff, Rodriguez, and Massengill all went 3-4 at the plate while Lovelace added 2 hits and 3 RBIs. The team belted 5 big homers.

Trenton Williams started on the mound and took the victory. In 3.2 innings, he allowed 7 hits and 4 earned runs with 2 whiffs and 2 walks.

He was relieved by Quentin Williams and Anakin Floyd. Williams gave up 2 hits, 2 runs and 2 walks with 1K in 1.2 innings while Floyd's 1.2 innings yielded 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk and 2 whiffs.

The Eagles won the hitting battle 12-9, while their 5 homers helped overcome 4 errors.