ALBION, Mich. -- Back in MIAA action, the Albion College baseball team split with Kalamazoo on Saturday afternoon. The Britons dropped the opener, 5-2, before taking a wild 10-7 game in the nightcap.

GAME ONE: Kalamazoo 5 Albion 2

The Hornets scored three runs in the top of the second inning to take a 3-0 lead early in the game. Albion responded in the bottom half of the inning when Braeden Emery tripled to right with one out. The next hitter, Dylan Perry, lifted a sac fly to center, driving in Emery and cutting the Kalamazoo lead to 3-1.

Kalamazoo answered right back when the visitors tacked on two runs in the top of the third to build a 5-1 advantage.

In the bottom of the fifth, Gabe Mata roped a double to left. With two out, sophomore Patrick Merolla lined a single up the middle to cut into the Kalamazoo lead. The Britons could not push lacrosse any more runs in the frame, as Albion left the bases loaded.

Merolla, Mata and Justin Charron all had multi-hit games.

GAME TWO: Albion 10 Kalamazoo 7

A big third inning helped the hosts respond and salvage a split in the nightcap.

After a Kalamazoo run in the second, the Britons put upp six runs in the third off eight hits -- all runs coming with two outs. Zac Gray led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a Merolla single. A double by Charron drove in the pair, pushing the Brits in front, 2-1.

Freshman Matt McGann followed with a single to left, putting runners at the corners for Alex Cull. Cull delivered a two-run triple to left, plating both Charron and McGann. Emery followed with a triple of his own to drive in Cull and give Albion a 5-1 lead. The scoring was capped in the inning by a single off the bat of Perry.

Kalamazoo added two runs in the third, both unearned.

Albion added a 4-spot in the home half, led by two-run base hits by Emery and Gray. The hosts scored four runs off just two hits in the inning.

Kalamazoo came close in the seventh, but left the bases loaded as the Britons were able to work out of the jam.

Ray Keane earns his first collegiate win, going 6.1 innings. Keane allowed seven runs -- just three earned -- while scattering five hits and striking out four.

Emery finished the nightcap with 3 RBI, while Charron, Cull and Gray each had two.

The Britons will travel to Kalamazoo on Sunday to wrap up the weekend series. Game times are slated for 1 and 3 p.m.