April 6, 2009

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Allendale, Mich. - Grand Valley State topped Lake Superior State in a blustery doubleheader at GVSU Softball Field on Monday (April 6). In game one, GVSU notched a 1-0 victory while closing out the twinbill with a 7-4 win in the nightcap. It was the sixth and seventh meetings for the two teams this season.

With the wins, Grand Valley State improves to 7-0 this year against Lake Superior State. GVSU now is 27-8 overall with a 7-3 GLIAC mark, while LSSU is 6-29 and 0-12 in league play.

The opening game saw nearly as many errors (five) as base hits (eight), but Grand Valley State was able to plate a run - the game's only tally - in the bottom of the fourth inning. Freshman Carli Raisutis reached base on a one-out single and Amanda Rumsey was inserted to pinch run. Rebecca Plummer laid down a good sacrifice bunt and when LSSU's catcher threw the ball over the first baseman's head, Plummer ended up at second base and Rumsey found herself at third.

Left fielder Karen Walters followed and also reached base on an error by the Lake Superior State first baseman, moving all the way to third base on the miscue. Rumsey scored, but Plummer was thrown out at home by the right fielder. The inning featured one run on one hit with two errors, but it was the only run needed for a GVSU win.

This was because senior Lori Andjelich was never in any real trouble on the mound, as LSSU was unable to push a runner past second base. Andjelich (15-4) tossed a complete-game three-hitter, striking out two batters and not allowing a walk. On an extremely windy day, her defense recorded 10 flyball outs.

The five GVSU base hits were split between senior shortstop Nichole Woityra and Raisutis. Woityra went 3-for-3 with the game's only extra base hit - a two-out double in the third inning. Raisutis was 2-for-3 with a pair of singles.

Game two was much more offensive-oriented, as the teams combined for 11 runs on 22 base hits. Both teams scored in the first inning, with GVSU taking an early 1-0 lead on an RBI single from junior catcher Breanne Kronberg, which scored leadoff hitter Tina Briggs. The freshman centerfielder started the game with a single to left field.

Lake Superior State scored the next three runs, including an RBI double from Lacey Knoop, to push the LSSU lead to 3-1. Grand Valley State answered with consecutive one-out doubles from Woityra and Kronberg to cut the score to 3-2. First baseman Stephanee Schrader followed with a hard single to left field to move Kronberg to third base. Raisutis followed with a single up the middle, scoring Kronberg to tie the game. Walters then added a bunt single to load the bases with one out, but GVSU was unable to push a run across the plate with the next two batters.

Kronberg opened the fifth inning with her second straight double, giving her 12 two-baggers on the year. Freshman Maggie Kerrigan pinch ran for Kronberg and later scored on a passed ball to give GVSU a lead it would not relinquish. Grand Valley State would add three more runs in the sixth inning, using a two-run single from Kronberg and a run-scoring fielder's choice from Raisutis to up the lead to 7-3.

Freshman pitcher Andrea Nicholson was the beneficiary of the GVSU scoring, as she improved to 5-1 on the year. Nicholson tossed five innings of relief for starter Lauren Rohan, allowing just one run on four hits. She walked two and struck out one batter.

Of the 14 base hits for Grand Valley State, Kronberg, Schrader, and Woityra combined for nine hits. Kronberg went 4-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored, while Schrader was 3-for-4. Kronberg is the second Laker to notch four hits in a game this season, as Briggs went 4-for-4 against Cornerstone on Mar. 27. Woityra notched a 2-for-3 game with a pair of runs scored. Both Kronberg and Woityra smacked two doubles in game two.

Grand Valley State stays at home for its next three doubleheaders, taking on Hillsdale on Friday (April 10) in a 3:30 p.m. twinbill.