March 30, 2008

Box Score

Allendale, Mich. - Grand Valley State University earned its third and fourth-straight shutout victories on Sunday. The No. 8 Lakers swept Gannon University with strong pitching and timely hitting, earning 1-0 and 9-0 victories in the twinbill. GVSU is now 19-6 on the year and has a perfect GLIAC mark of 4-0. Elizabeth Smith scored the lone run in the first game, hitting a home run to left-center field. The Lakers' next match is a double-header against Saint Joseph's (Ind.) on Tuesday, April 1 at 3 p.m.

GVSU scored one run on four hits, while Lori Andjelich held the Golden Knights to six hits and no runs with six strikeouts through seven innings of work. Smith was the only Laker to score or bring in a run, but it was enough for Andjelich.

Gannon put two runners on with one out in the top of the second inning, but Andjelich pitched out of the jam by striking out the next two batters and ending the inning. The Golden Knights threatened again in the top of the fourth, but once again, Andjelich struck out the final batter to end the threat. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Smith put a pitch over the left-field fence for her third home run of the year. Holding a 1-0 lead into the seventh, Andjelich sat down the Golden Knights in order to end the game.

Grand Valley received strong pitching in game two, as well, but also saw a lot more offensively. Stephanie Cole threw all five innings and gave up just two hits while striking out five. The Lakers, meanwhile, scored nine runs on nine hits and did not commit an error. Breanne Kronberg was stellar at the plate, going 2-2 with two runs scored and another four batted in. Kronberg notched her third home run of the season, while Rebecca Plummer swatted her first.

Plummer started the second inning, and the scoring, with her home run. Later in the inning, Kronberg singled and went to third on a single by Karen Walters. Sarah Holland singled to right field, scoring both of them and making the score 3-0 in favor of the Lakers. GVSU scored another three runs in the third inning, courtesy of a three-run shot by Kronberg that went over the left-field fence.

Grand Valley State went over the eight-run rule by scoring another three runs in the top of the fourth inning. Holland and Nichole Woityra both reached on errors and then loaded the bases on a single by Kristin Moleski. Smith walked, bringing in a run, and then Plummer's fielder's choice scored another run. Kronberg walked, as well, scoring the final run of the game. GVSU closed out Gannon in the fourth and fifth innings to end the game in a 9-0 victory.