ALBION, Mich. – Albion College baseball coach Scott Carden admitted it would have been demoralizing if his team was swept by Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association rival Kalamazoo College as it made it home debut Sunday.

Kalamazoo was on its way to winning both games – it had won game one, 4-2, and was leading the nightcap, 4-1, in the seventh – until Albion produced an unlikely rally. John Gignac (Grand Rapids/Forest Hills Central) sent a two-run single to left field to cap Albion's four-run rally as the Britons salvaged a split on the day with a 5-4 victory.

"We like the fact that we've getting to be a veteran team, but we didn't always show it today," Carden said. "We made mistakes, but I like the fact that the guys found a way to win. We felt like we were a hit away all day, but we weren't producing."

Kalamazoo scored twice in the fourth and fifth innings because its hitters made adjustments against Briton starter David Padro (Azusa, Calif.).  Pardo retired the first seven batters and Tim Lynch, the No. 8 hitter in the Kalamazoo order, produced the Hornets' only hit (a one-out single in the third) the first time through the order.

Pardo retired the first two batters in the fourth, but the Hornets figured him out as Eric Glanz drew a walk and the next three batters collected singles. David Kamerman clubbed a two-run homerun down the left field line in the fifth to chase Pardo from the game. Pete Salens (Bad Axe) threw 2.2 scoreless innings to pick up his first victory of the season.

The Albion hitters never solved Kalamazoo starter Jake Holloway who allowed a run on four hits and four walks. Holloway walked the bases loaded in the first and the Britons stranded runners in scoring position in the second and third innings. Albion loaded the bases again in the fifth and got only one run.

Albion's seventh inning rally started as Eric Shimmel (Warren/Cousino) singled and Chuck DeClarke (Holt/Lansing Catholic) walked with one out. After a fly out, Ben Gould (Alpena)and pinch-hitter Tommy Barrett (Bloomfield Hills/Brother Rice) hit RBI singles and Gignac followed with his game-winning hit. Gignac finished the day with three hits and three RBI.

"The guys stopped pressing (in the seventh) as the pressure probably shifted to their first-year pitcher," Carden said.

Albion (6-8 overall, 3-1 MIAA) returns to Frank Joranko Field at 4 p.m. Tuesday for a nine-inning non-league game against Defiance (Ohio) College. Trine (Ind.) University provides the opposition for Albion's next MIAA series beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday at Frank Joranko Field.

"We need to keep progressing offensively," Carden said. "We're making the routine plays on defense. They let us make outs. We need to make adjustments the second time through the order."