News Photo by Jonny Zawacki Alcona’s Brock Franklin (44) beats out a throw to the plate to score a run during the first inning of game one of a baseball doubleheader on Friday at Alcona High School.

LINCOLN–After dropping its first two games of the season against state runner-up New Lothrop, the Alcona baseball team returned home and found ways to sweep Au Gres in a doubleheader on Friday to get into the win column early, winning 11-1 and 6-5.

“You expect the unexpected sometimes this early on in the season. We had a few bad innings throughout the night, which resulted in a tight second game,” Alcona coach Terry Franklin said. “We put ourselves in a tough situation and we saw what we were made of.”

The Tigers had no problem taking care of business in game one as they jumped all over Au Gres.

The Wolverines were able to score first by scoring one run in the opening frame, but Alcona wasted little time putting the bats on the ball, being aggressive on the basepaths and taking advantage of several Au Gres mistakes.

The first five batters reached base safely in Alcona’s first turn at the plate as Tim Hutchinson and Erik Davey both singled to lead off the game. Brock Franklin followed the two singles with a walk, Alex Stephenson added another single and Matthew Krisan also drew a walk.

Stephenson gave Alcona the lead when he hit a two-out single that scored Hutchinson and Davey. Franklin came around to score after beating out a throw to plate on a fielders choice.

After allowing one run in the first inning, Alcona pitcher Jake McFadden was lights out the rest of the way as he pitched complete five innings to pick up the victory. McFadden gave up just the one run on two hits, two walks and struck out four.

McFadden got more than enough run support as Alcona added five runs in the second to blow the game wide open.

After sending all nine batters to the plate in the first inning, the same five who reached safely in the bottom of the first also reached in the second and all came around to score.

Alcona added a run in each of the final three innings and needed just five innings to defeat the Wolverines in game one.

Davey led the Tigers in game one going a perfect 4-for-4 with four singles and three runs scored. Hutchinson and Krisan each added two hits apiece. Hutchinson scored three times and Krisan doubled, tripled and scored twice. Stephenson also collected two hits, scored once and drove in four RBI.

“We swung the bats really well in the first game and played a solid defensively, unfortunately the bats didn’t come alive in the second game and we made a lot of mistakes, but it’s high school baseball,” Franklin said.

Despite being held to just five hits in the nightcap, Alcona found a way to hold on for a 6-5 win.

Offensively, McFadden led the way with two hits and Stephenson, Krisan and Coda Gallagher each added a hit apiece in the win.

With the two wins, Alcona now holds a 2-2 overall record on the year and will be back in action on Monday when it hosts Hale.

Jonny Zawacki can be reached via email at jzawacki@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5690.