ADRIAN, Mich. – The matchup of all-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association pitchers Wednesday in the first round of the league tournament lived up to its billing. Adrian's Jayson Fryman, a first team selection, was a bit better than Albion's Mike Schypinski (Sterling Heights/De La Salle), a second team pick, and the 10th-ranked Bulldogs took a 2-0 victory over the Britons.

Albion will square off against Hope, a 6-3 loser to Trine, in an elimination game at 1 p.m. Thursday at Adrian's Nicolay Field. Log on to http://media.albion.edu/sports to join Bobby Lee, Albion's director of news & sports information, for the internet audio broadcast.

Fryman, the MIAA leader in innings pitched coming into the game, didn't disappoint as he needed 127 pitches to complete the four-hitter. Chuck DeClarke (Holt/Lansing Catholic Central) cranked Fryman's 3-1 pitch for a two-out double in the first inning. Fryman retired six in a row until Adam Mazza (Maconb/Dakota) drew a two-out walk in the third.

Albion's best scoring chance came in the fifth. Chad Gromek (Lansing/Lansing Catholic Central)stroked a line drive single to left field to start the inning and Dan Mills (Northville) hit a one-out single through the left side of the infield. The rally fizzled as the Britons were unable to hit the ball out of the infield from there.

Albion got one hit the rest of the way, Ben Gould's (Alpena) infield single with two out in the seventh.

Adrian scored runs in the second and fourth innings as Schypinski allowed six hits and two walks in 129 pitches over 7 1/3 innings. Ross Hall (Gregory/Stockbridge) inherited a two-on, one-out jam in the eighth, and he escaped with a strikeout and a groundout.