May 2, 2009

Box Score

Midland, Mich. - Grand Valley State won its first game at the GLIAC Tournament on Saturday morning (May 2) before being eliminated from the tournament with a loss in game two. The Lakers held off Tiffin in the opener, 2-1, before losing to Wayne State, 5-0, in a rematch of Friday's opening round game.

The split puts GVSU at 33-18 overall, while the fifth-seeded Lakers must now await word as to their NCAA postseason fate. Grand Valley State was ranked tenth in last week's NCAA regional rankings and the top eight teams advance to the postseason tournament.

In game one against seventh-seeded Tiffin, GVSU received all the offense it would need on one swing of the bat. In the bottom of the fourth inning, senior shortstop Nichole Woityra led off the frame with a single to left field. Two batters later, Woityra was on second base with two outs. First baseman Stephanee Schrader then drilled a two-run homer to right center field, putting the Lakers ahead, 2-0.

Tiffin loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning off of GVSU starter Lori Andjelich and the Dragons were able to push one run across the plate. Freshman Andrea Nicholson relieved Andjelich and, with the bases still loaded, recorded the final out of the game for her first collegiate save.

Andjelich improved to 19-8 on the year with another strong performance. She pitched 6.2 innings, while allowing one run on four hits. Although Andjelich allowed six walks, she struck out five TU batters. Nicholson induced a groundball out for her first save.

Schrader recorded two of the five Laker base hits, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and both RBI.

In game two, fourth-seeded Wayne State's Casey Hanes, the GLIAC Pitcher of the Year, was nearly unhittable. She pitched six innings, allowing just one base hit, walking one, and striking out five. The Warriors tallied two runs in the first and fifth innings and a solo homer in the fourth frame for their five runs.

Nicholson (5-2) started for the Lakers, giving up two runs on five hits in one inning of work. Junior Lauren Rohan relieved Nicholson and pitched five innings, allowing three runs on five hits. Rohan struck out five batters. Junior Breanne Kronberg tallied the lone Laker hit - a one-out single in the fourth inning.