ALMA, Mich. – Two Nationally ranked MIAA teams took the field on Monday as the 13^th ranked Adrian College softball team split their doubleheader with 21^st ranked Alma College falling 5-4 and winning the nightcap 7-6. The Bulldogs record now stands at 28-2 on the season and 6-2 in the conference.

Game one saw the Bulldogs take an early lead in the third inning when sophomore Katrina Wotten (Blackstock, Ont./Cartwright) reached on a Scots error. Junior Maggie Hein (Adrian, Mich./Lenawee Christian) and senior Katie Adams (Flat Rock, Mich./Flat Rock) followed, as each singled with Adams hit scoring Wotten. Freshman Katie Dewyre (Pemberville, Ohio/Eastwood) stepped up and singled to right-center to score Hein and Adams. The Alma pitcher induced a double play and a pop-out to end the inning and the Bulldogs scoring opportunity.

The Scots battled back in the bottom of the inning. After a leadoff walk, junior pitcher Kelly Eberhardt (Wellington, Ohio/Black River) got the next two outs but back-to-back singles followed by a double plated two Alma runs.

In the top of the fifth, the Bulldogs threatened to blow the game open as junior Sarah Hall (Napoleon, Ohio/Napoleon) was intentionally walked to load the bases with only one-out. Freshman Jennifer Wend grounded into a fielder's choice as Hein was forced out at the plate. Senior Kristin Toney (Cassopolis, Mich./Edwardsburg) stepped in a hit a popup in the infield, but with a strong wind blowing no Alma player was able to glove the ball as it fell to the ground allowing Adams to score.

Alma would again counter with a run of their own as Emily Ross homered to left field.

It came down to the bottom of the seventh, Alma led off with a single. After Eberhardt struck out the next Alma batter, she gave up another single. The next batter, Becca DeWyse, doubled down the left field line, and Kelly Koenigsknecht was just able to beat the relay throw from the outfield to score the winning run for the Scots.

The Bulldogs again came out swinging in the second game as Adrian, playing as the home team, scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning. After Adams led off the inning with a walk and Dewyre sacrificed her over to second. Another walk to Hall was then followed by a single for Wend which scored Adams from second. Junior Laura Heinz (Manchester, Mich./Clinton) then singled with two outs to load the bases. Freshman Brittany Bertrand (Grand Blanc, Mich./Goodrich) stepped to the plate and delivered for the Bulldogs as she singled to right-center to score Hall and Wend.

Both teams exploded in the third inning as both teams accounted for five runs. With two outs in the top of the inning, Alma scored two runs on a single by Erin Pintek after an Adrian error, a walk and another single.

Adrian answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Heinz led off the inning with a single to center and was followed by a single from Bertrand and a walk to Wotten to load the bases. The next batter, Hein, struck out looking but pinch runner freshman Ravin Toner (Romulus, Mich./New Boston Huron) scrambled home on the dropped third strike. Adams followed with a single to left scoring Bertrand and Dewyre then followed with another single up the middle to plate Wotten.

The Bulldogs tacked on another run in the fourth, as Wend led off the inning with a walk. Toney then sacrificed her to second and Heinz came through with a double to center to score Wend as Adrian led 7-2 going into the sixth.

Alma refused to go quietly as Koenigsknecht doubled to left to score the leadoff batter who had walked. Eberhardt got the next batter to ground out to Hall as Koenigsknecht moved to third. Dewyse stepped up and once again hurt the Bulldogs as she tripled to right field and then scored on a throwing error by the Bulldogs.

Adrian went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth as they carried a 7-5 lead going into the top of the seventh.

In the seventh, Eberhardt got the first batter to ground out but a walk and a single, placed runners on first and second. A groundball by Louise Rezmer resulted in a Bulldogs error to load the bases for the Scots. Eberhardt got the Koenigsknecht to ground out to Hall but a run scored to pull the Scots within one. With a 2-2 count, Eberhardt came through for the Bulldogs as she got Rachel Bowker to pop out to Wend to end the game.

On the mound for Adrian, Eberhardt pitched two complete games for a total of 13 and a third innings, giving up 11 runs, seven of which were earned, on 17 hits with 13 strikeouts and seven walks.

Adams led the Bulldogs at the plate going 4-for-7 with three runs scored and two RBI's. Dewyre went 2-for-7 and led the team with three RBI's. Hall also had a multi-hit day as she was 2-for-6 with a run scored. Toney had a solid game one as she was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Heinz was a perfect 3-for-3 in game two with an RBI. Bertrand also had a solid second game as she was 2-for-3 with two RBI's and a run scored.

After today's game, the Bulldogs are outscoring opponents 53-to-4 in the first inning. The game one loss was the first time the Bulldogs have dropped a game after having a lead in a game. This was the first time that Adrian and Alma have met while both teams were nationally ranked. The Bulldogs have now beaten the Scots at least once in the past three seasons after going 14 years (1995-2008) without a win.

The Bulldogs will next host Albion on April 13 for an MIAA doubleheader starting at 3:30 pm.