March 8, 2008

Final Stats

Kissimmee, Fla. - Grand Valley State University saw both ends of a 2-1 decision on Saturday, dropping a 2-1 game to No. 1 Southern Illinois Edwardsville before rebounding with a 2-1 win of their own against Mary. Both games went to extra innings, and the home teams each scored in the bottom of the eighth to pick up the wins. Lauren Rohan (3-0) remained perfect, picking up her third win of the year in the game against Mary. The No. 13 Lakers will finish their spring trip with games against Southern Indiana and Upper Iowa tomorrow.

Stephanie Cole (3-1) picked up her first loss of the year despite pitching well, going 7.2 innings and giving up just three hits and two runs, one earned. She also struck out four batters. The Lakers picked up one run with three hits and no errors. SIUE scored twice on three hits with no errors. Stephanie Schrader brought in the only run for the Lakers and went 1-3 at the plate.

Grand Valley scored the first run of the game in the top of the second inning. Breanne Kronberg walked with one out and then went to second when Becky Rudenga walked right after her. Schrader singled down the right-field line to score Kronberg and put GVSU up 1-0. SIUE got the run back in the bottom of the third when a Amanda Pucel walked and then stole second. She came home on a singled down the right-field line on the next at-bat.

From that point on, neither team scored until the bottom of the eighth inning. GVSU threatened in the top of the sixth. Nichole Woityra singled down the left-field line to start the inning and then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out, but a ground out ended the threat. The Lakers had a runner on third in the top of the eighth, when the international tie break rule. With a runner on second to start the inning, Grand Valley still could not bring home a run, and SIUE closed it out in the bottom half of the frame with an RBI bunt single.

Rohan pitched all eight innings for the Lakers, giving up just two hits and one run. She struck out six batters and walked none. The Lakers managed two runs on 11 hits at the plate while committing two errors. Rebecca Plummer went 2-4 in the box, bringing in one run. Rudenga scored a run for GVSU, going 1-1 with a walk.

The first run of the game came in the bottom of the third inning. Rudenga walked to start the inning and then advanced to second on a sacrifice. Sarah Holland singled through the right side to send Rudenga home. Mary wasn't finished, though, scoring a run in the top of the seventh inning to send the game to extra innings. With the international tie break rule in effect, Sarah Holland was placed on second. Woityra was intentionally walked and then Lisa Preuss bunted and all three runners were safe. Plummer then singled down the right-field line to end the game, 2-1, in favor of the Lakers.