April 10, 2010

Box Score

Hillsdale, Mich. - Grand Valley State scored seven runs in both games of a GLIAC doubleheader at Hillsdale on Saturday (April 10), winning game one over the Chargers, 7-4, before falling 10-7 in the nightcap. The Lakers led 6-3 heading into the top of the seventh in game two before Hillsdale responded with seven runs in the frame to prevent the GVSU sweep.

The split puts the Lakers at 18-10 overall with a 6-2 record in conference play, as Hillsdale is now 7-17 overall with a 2-10 GLIAC mark. Grand Valley State has won 11 of its last 13 games, but had not played since last Saturday against Lake Superior State in Allendale. An earlier doubleheader this week at Northwood was rescheduled due to rainy conditions.

In the opener, Hillsdale put together a 3-0 lead on GVSU starting pitcher Andrea Nicholson before the Lakers rallied for four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Sophomore Carli Raisutis tallied a one-out double and was followed by a walk to Becky Plummer. Two batters later, senior Stephanee Schrader doubled, driving in both Raisutis and Plummer to cut the Charger lead to 3-2. Freshman Emily Jones came in to pinch-hit for the Lakers and also doubled, driving in pinch runner Maggie Kerrigan to tie the game at 3-3. Nellie Kosola then followed with an RBI triple to center field, scoring Tina Briggs, who was running for Jones. GVSU now led, 4-3.

Hillsdale would tie the score in the bottom of the fourth with a run, making the score 4-4, but Grand Valley State would respond with two runs in the top of the fifth. Three straight singles from Breanne Kronberg, Raisutis, and Plummer (an RBI single) put the Lakers back ahead to stay, 5-4. Kerrigan then reached on an error, which scored Raisutis for a 6-4 lead. Freshman Kayleigh Bertram smacked her fourth homer of the season in the top of the sixth inning to conclude the scoring at 7-4 after her solo blast.

Nicholson did not pitch her best game of the season, but did enough to garner the victory. She tossed four innings, giving up four runs on nine hits, while walking two. The sophomore righty is now 8-4 on the season. Freshman Katie Martin relieved Nicholson in the fifth frame and pitched three hitless innings, striking out a pair of batters.

Bertram led the offensive attack with a 3-for-3 performance, including her fourth long ball of the year. Raisutis was the only other Laker with at least two hits, as 10 different GVSU players recorded a base hit. She was 2-for-4 with a double and a pair of runs scored. Kosola's three-bagger was her third triple of the season.

In an offensive battle in game two, Hillsdale took a quick 2-0 lead after its first at-bat, but the Lakers tied it on a two-run homer from Kronberg. The second big fly of the season for Kronberg also drove in Martin, who notched a one-out single. HC regained a one-run lead at 3-2 in the top of the second, as that score would stand until GVSU tied the score in the bottom of the fifth.

The Lakers tied the game at 3-3 on a sacrifice fly from Schrader, scoring Briggs, who started the frame with a single to left field. After keeping the Chargers off the board in the top of the sixth, GVSU posted three runs in the bottom of the inning. Raisutis led off with a single and two batters later, Jones came in to pinch hit again. She notched her first collegiate homer, which put the Lakers ahead 5-3. Briggs immediately followed with a single, moved to second, and then scored on Martin's RBI single to right field for a 6-3 GVSU lead.

Things fell apart in the top of the seventh, however, as Hillsdale rallied for seven runs on six hits, while the Lakers committed a pair of errors. The Chargers used a two-run double and a two-run single in the inning to re-gain the lead. Grand Valley State put together a run in the bottom of the frame, but was unable to complete the comeback.

Martin suffered the loss, as she moves to 8-4 on the season. In 6.2 innings, she allowed 10 runs on 17 hits, striking out six batters. At the plate, Martin was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Briggs was 2-for-2 with two runs scored, as the duo combined for five of GVSU's 10 base hits. Kronberg and Jones each had two RBI in the loss.

Grand Valley State heads to Findlay for a road doubleheader starting at noon on Sunday (April 11).