May 13, 2007
Box Score
Grand Valley State continued its run in the Great Lakes Region Tournament with a 6-4 comeback win over Ferris State on Sunday morning. The Lakers improve to 36-17, while the Bulldogs end their season at 31-17. Grand Valley State will play #1 seeded SIUE at 3:30 p.m. ET in the championship game. The Lakers would have to beat the Cougars twice to claim the region title. The if necessary game is slated for Monday, May 14 at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Junior right fielder Sarah Holland started off the game for the Lakers with a base hit to the right side, but was quickly doubled off as sophomore short stop Nichole Woityra hit a line drive to the first baseman Laura Crower. Ferris State catcher Krystle Bailey posted a two out hit to right center field to give the Bulldogs a runner in the bottom of the first inning. Left fielder Amanda Jager tallied a walk to put runners on first and second for Ferris State, but sophomore pitcher Lori Andjelich forced third baseman Katie Kraai to pop up to sophomore third baseman Becky Rudenga to end the inning.
Both teams were retired in order in the second, but with two outs in the top of the third sophomore left fielder Karen Walters reached first base on an infield hit. A base hit to right field by Holland gave the Lakers runners on first and second with two outs, but a fly ball to center field by Woityra stopped GVSU from scoring.
Right fielder Ashley Nieman led off the bottom of the third inning with a home run to center field to put the Bulldogs ahead 1-0. The following batter, pitcher Sarah Mueller was hit by a pitch and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by second baseman Amanda Harrington. Andjelich struck out Bailey and then walked Jager to put runners on first and second base. Kraai came up to the plate and hit a three run shot to center field to put Ferris State up, 4-0. Junior Stephanie Cole came in to relief Andjelich and forced Crower to ground out to Woityra to end the third inning.
Junior second baseman Kristin Moleski led off the Laker half of the fourth inning with a double to right field. Junior designated player Elizabeth Smith drew a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs for GVSU. The runners moved up to second and third on a sacrifice fly to center field by senior first baseman Crista Buresh. Junior center field Lisa Preuss singled to right center field to score Moleski and then junior catcher Katie Kring hit a long double to left field to drive in another run and move Preuss to third base. Starting pitcher Sarah Mueller was relieved by sophomore Holly Bruntjens who came in and struck out Rudenga and Walters.
With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Bruntjens reached second base on a two base fielding error by Rudenga and moved to second on a base hit to left field by Nieman. The Lakers were able to get the final to outs to prevent the Bulldogs from scoring any more runs.
Holland started off the fifth inning with a single to right field, but got out one batter later as Moleski reached on a fielder's choice. A shot to the second baseman by Smith accounted for the third out of the inning. Cole retired the Bulldogs in order in the bottom of the fifth and sixth inning, but Bruntjens did the same to the Lakers in the top of the sixth.
The Lakers were down to their last three outs in the top of the inning and started off with a walk to freshman pinch hitter Rebecca Plummer. Plummer moved to second base on a ground out to the pitcher by Walters. Holland hit a long fly ball to center field, but it wasn't deep enough to move the runner. Woityra reached first and moved Plummer to third base on an error by short stop McKenzie West. Moleski walked to load the bases and Smith singled to left field to drive in two runs, tying the game at 4-4. Buresh walked to reload the bases for Preuss, who singled to left field to drive in two more runs and give the Lakers a 6-4 lead. Kring ended the four run inning with a strikeout.
Cole retired the first two batters of the seventh inning, but Harrington singled to left field to keep the Bulldogs alive. Bailey grouded out to Cole to end the game.
Andjelich started the game for the Lakers, pitching 2.2 innings of action. She allowed three hits, four earned runs, and two walks, while striking out two batters. Cole came in and picked up the win as she threw a two-hitter in 4.1 innings.
Grand Valley out hit Ferris State 9-5 and the Bulldogs recorded two costly errors in the bottom of the seventh inning. Junior right fielder Sarah Holland was 3-for-4, while junior center fielder Lisa Preuss went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Junior designated player Elizabeth Smith was 1-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored.
Grand Valley State will play #1 seeded SIUE at 3:30 p.m. ET in the championship game. The Lakers would have to beat the Cougars twice to claim the region title.
