Delta College Edges Alma College in Gritty 4-3 Victory
ALMA, Mich. – Behind a strong pitching performance from Cadence Swartz and timely hitting, the Delta College softball team secured a hard-fought 4-3 win over Alma College on Wednesday, March 12.
The Pioneers found themselves in an early hole after Alma struck first with a run in the opening inning, but Delta responded in the third, plating two runs to take the lead. After the Scots answered with a pair of their own in the fourth, Delta again showed resilience, reclaiming the lead in the fifth with two more runs—enough to seal the victory.
Swartz went the distance in the circle, scattering 11 hits while allowing just two earned runs over seven innings. The freshman held her composure despite Alma's offensive pressure, issuing only three walks and finishing with no strikeouts but plenty of key outs when it mattered most.
At the plate, Delta produced five hits, with outfielder Megan Mankey leading the charge, going 2-for-4 with an RBI double. Hannah Hycki also collected two hits, while Kennady Tiitola contributed a hit and a stolen base. Defensively, the Pioneers overcame a couple of errors, with Swartz and her defense shutting down Alma's offense in the late innings.
With the victory, Delta bounced back from an earlier shutout loss to Alma in the doubleheader and will look to build on this momentum as the season progresses.