March 26, 2009

Box Score

Allendale, Mich. - A pair of strong pitching performances coupled with a few bright offensive moments pushed Grand Valley State's winning streak to 14 games with a doubleheader sweep of Northwood on Thursday (Mar. 26). GVSU won game one, 7-1, and pulled out a 3-0 win in the nightcap of the GLIAC opening twinbill for both teams.

The victories push Grand Valley State's record to 20-5 overall, 2-0 in league play, while Northwood falls to 6-10 and 0-2 in the GLIAC. GVSU has not lost since a 2-0 defeat to West Virginia Wesleyan on Mar. 7 in Clermont, Fla.

Grand Valley State needed just two strong offensive innings in the opener for the win, as the Lakers tallied three runs in the first inning and four more in the fourth frame. GVSU was also aided by three errors from the Timberwolves in the opening inning, which allowed for all three Laker runs to be unearned.

Freshman Carli Raisutis totaled an RBI single to center field, which scored shortstop Nichole Woityra, who reached on a one-out infield single. Right fielder Rebecca Plummer also used an infield single to score the second Laker run, pushing home junior Breanne Kronberg. A bases-loaded walk from third baseman Becky Rudenga made the score 3-0.

Senior pitcher Lori Andjelich needed no more than the three runs in the first inning. Andjelich (11-3) cruised through the Northwood lineup, allowing one run in the sixth inning. The righty scattered five hits, walking just one batter, and striking out five Timberwolves. Andjelich has won her last eight decisions and now owns a 0.99 earned run average.

GVSU added four runs in the fourth inning, with the big blast being a three-run homer from first baseman Stephanee Schrader. The shot down the left field line scored Kronberg and freshman Maggie Kerrigan, who recorded an RBI single earlier in the inning. A Northwood error earlier in the inning, however, made all four runs unearned, leaving NU starter Sheena Smith with an odd statline of seven runs and zero earned tallies.

Raisutis was the lone player in the game with two hits, as she went 2-for-4 with an RBI. In addition to her three-run homer, Schrader scored two runs, as did Kronberg. Six different Lakers record a base hit in the win.

Junior right-hander Lauren Rohan was nearly unhittable in the second game. Rohan (6-1) gave up just three hits (two to leadoff hitter Michelle Boscola), while striking out six batters. Grand Valley State gave Rohan enough run support with single runs in the first, sixth, and seventh innings.

Kerrigan led off the game with an infield single and advanced to second on a passed ball. She then stole third base and crossed home plate on another passed ball to give the Lakers a 1-0 lead. In the top of the sixth, Rudenga knocked a two-out RBI double to right field, scoring Plummer. Kronberg's run-scoring single to left field in the seventh inning scored center fielder Tina Briggs for the final run of the game. Woityra and Rudenga both totaled a pair of hits, as the Lakers added up nine hits altogether.

Northwood only seriously threatened once, advancing runners to second and third base with only one out in the fourth inning. Rohan, however, induced a pop-up to herself and closed the inning with a swinging strikeout, ending the Timberwolves' best scoring opportunity.

The Laker defense did not commit an error in either game of the doubleheader, marking the fifth time in the last six games that GVSU went errorless. Grand Valley State owns a .970 team fielding percentage.

GVSU heads back to the field on Friday (Mar. 27) for a non-league twinbill with nearby Cornerstone. The doubleheader is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m.