Alma Baseball sees strong start to spring season

BRADY KRAUSE
PHOTOGRAPHER

KAITRISS DEGROFT
STAFF WRITER

3/30/2026

The Alma College baseball team is off to a strong start this season, building confidence in recent games.

A late-game explosion lifted the Alma College baseball team to an 11-5 win over Ohio Northern University, securing a non-conference series victory. The Scots’ ninth-inning rally capped a strong showing as they built momentum heading into conference play.

Kyler Warren (’26) reflects positively on the win against Ohio Northern. 

“They are a very good team who are receiving votes to be a top 25 team in the country, and we were able to take two out of three games on the road. It was a huge confidence boost and added momentum heading into conference play,” said Warren. 

He added that the team’s success has been driven by its unity and support for one another.

“We have really improved at playing for the name on the front of the jersey. We are all battling for each other, and we as a team are getting really good at picking each other up in key moments. It takes every guy on our roster to win games, and it has really shown so far,” said Warren.  

Warren has also contributed at the plate this season, including a recent stretch where he hit .385 with six RBIs and a home run.

Tyler Lasley (’27), a left-handed pitcher from Birch Run, has taken the field this season, providing valuable innings for the Scots. He pointed to the team’s progress this season in comparison to past years. 

“I would consider our performance so far successful. For the first time since I’ve been here, we have a winning record coming out of non-conference play. We have come back in some very good games and persevered in some tough battles,” said Lasley. 

Looking ahead, Tyler emphasized the team’s goals for the remainder of the season.

“Our goals for the rest of the year are to win 28 games or more on the year. With that, we set ourselves up for a great chance to win our conference and make a deep run into the tournament,” said Lasley. 

That momentum continued in Alma’s home opener, where the Alma College baseball team earned a 4-2 win over Aquinas College. Home runs from Alexander Kavalick (’26) and Cole Grunwald (’26), along with solid pitching, helped the Scots hold off Aquinas late. 

Jason Crain, Alma College Head Baseball Coach, also reflects on goals as the season progresses. 

“Our goal is always to qualify for the postseason tournament and then win the MIAA conference title.  The last 3 years have been positive steps in the right direction, but we need to jump over that final hurdle of winning the conference,” said Crain. 

He also mentioned how the season started with building a selfless culture to contribute to their success.

“Our season is off to a great start. We’ve been able to utilize many different players to evaluate performance and continue to build a selfless culture. We are playing a lot of young guys on the field, and they are starting to understand what it takes to play at the collegiate level.  It has been fun to watch them become more comfortable and have success,” said Crain.