April 16, 2009

Box Score

University Center, Mich. - Grand Valley State dropped a pair of games at Saginaw Valley State on Thursday (April 16) in a GLIAC doubleheader. The Lakers lost 4-3 on a walk-off, extra-inning homer in game one before dropping the nightcap, 9-4.

GVSU is now 30-13 overall with a 10-8 record in league play, while Saginaw Valley State is 30-8 with a 17-3 GLIAC mark. The Lakers are now on a season-long four game losing streak, having dropped a pair of games against #6 Ferris State on Wednesday afternoon in Allendale.

The Cardinals jumped ahead in game one with three runs in the first three innings. SVSU used a solo homer from Jillian Peterson to put a 1-0 lead on the board in the second inning. A pair of Cardinal RBI doubles from Marsha Beaubien and Jessica Anhel to move on top, 3-0.

Grand Valley State tied up the game with one big swing of the bat in the top of the fourth inning. Junior Breanne Kronberg led off the inning with a single, followed by another single from freshman Carli Raisutis. The next batter was first baseman Stephanee Schrader, who connected on her fourth homerun of the year, a shot over the fence in left centerfield to tie the game at 3-3.

Neither team would score again until extra innings. After the Lakers were held scoreless in the top of the eighth inning, SVSU centerfielder Angela Kaiser led off the bottom of the frame with a walk-off homerun, giving the Cardinals a 4-3 win. The homer came off of GVSU pitcher Lori Andjelich (17-6), who tossed seven innings of seven-hit ball, walking one batter and striking out four.

Schrader led the Laker attack, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and three RBI. Kronberg went 2-for-4, while third baseman Becky Rudenga was 1-for-3 with a double.

In game two, Saginaw Valley State used a pair of four-run innings to blow the game open. SVSU scored four times in the top of the third inning on two homeruns before Grand Valley State rallied to put three runs on the board in the home half of the frame. The Lakers managed their three runs on three Cardinal errors, as Tina Briggs, Lesley Bates, and Nichole Woityra all crossed home plate due to SVSU miscues.

Saginaw Valley State's Stacy Kraatz went 4-for-4 in the second game with five RBI, including two more in the fourth inning on a single to help extend the lead to 8-3. Grand Valley State put their final run on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Schrader hit her second homerun of the day and fifth of the season to make the score, 9-4.

For the Lakers, junior Lauren Rohan (8-6) started the game, giving up five runs and five hits in three innings of work. Freshman Andrea Nicholson tossed four innings of relief, allowing four runs on eight hits, while striking out a pair of batters.

Six different players recorded base hits for GVSU, including a double from Bates in the three-run third inning. Saginaw Valley State outhit the Lakers, 13-6, in game two.

Grand Valley State heads to Ohio this weekend for a pair of GLIAC doubleheaders. The Lakers will face Ashland on Saturday (April 18) in a noon twinbill.