April 11, 2010

Box Score

Findlay, Ohio - For the second straight day, Grand Valley State scored the same number of runs in both games of a doubleheader and split both GLIAC twinbills, winning one of two games at Findlay on Sunday (April 11). The Lakers lost a tough 6-5 extra-inning battle to the Oilers in game one before GVSU received a stellar pitching effort from freshman Katie Martin in winning game two by a 5-0 score.

On Saturday (April 10) in Hillsdale, the Lakers won game one, 7-4, before dropping a 10-7 final in game two. Both games that Grand Valley State lost over the weekend, the team led in the final inning. With the split, GVSU is 19-11 overall with a 7-3 record in conference play. Findlay is now 12-22 on the year with a 2-10 GLIAC record. Sunday's opener, which went eight innings, was the Lakers' first extra-inning affair of the season.

Neither team reached the scoreboard in game one until Findlay plated a single run in the bottom of the third inning. GVSU used an infield RBI single from freshman Emily Jones to tie the score in the top of the fourth before the Oilers responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Down 4-1 in the top of the fifth, the Lakers used three runs of their own to knot the score up at 4-4.

Freshman Kayleigh Bertram walked with one out, moved to second on a passed ball, then scored on Martin's RBI single to center field. With the bases loaded and two outs later in the inning, Jones came through again with a two-run single to right field, scoring both Martin and senior Breanne Kronberg to tie the game. On Saturday at Hillsdale, Jones had a pinch-hit in both games, as she doubled and hit her first collegiate homer, driving in three runs in the twinbill.

The game would remain tied after seven innings and move on to the eighth. Catcher Carli Raisutis started the inning with a walk and Becky Gill pinch ran for Raisutis. Gill was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Stephanee Schrader, then Jones singled to center field for her third hit of the game, driving in Gill for a 5-4 GVSU lead.

However, Findlay would win the game in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring the tying run on a fielder's choice and the winning run on a Laker error, ending GVSU's hopes of a strong comeback victory. Sophomore Andrea Nicholson was credited with the loss, moving her record to 8-5 on the year. She allowed six runs (five earned) on seven hits in 7.1 innings. Nicholson walked five batters and struck out six.

Offensively, Jones was the leader, as she went 3-for-4 with a career-high four RBI. Kronberg added a 2-for-4 performance, while center fielder Nellie Kosola was also 2-for-4. Martin had the team's other RBI, while five different Lakers scored a run in the opening game.

In game two, Grand Valley State opened up a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on a Rebecca Plummer RBI single to center field, scoring Jones, who reached on a fielder's choice. The Lakers added two runs in the fifth inning to take a 3-0 lead. Kosola reached on an error and was pushed home on Bertram's RBI double, then Schrader drove in Martin on a run-scoring single to left field.

Bertram concluded the scoring in the bottom of the sixth inning with her fifth homer of the season, a two-run shot to left center field that scored pinch runner Amanda Rumsey. That would be more than enough run support for Martin, who tossed a complete game five-hitter without walking a batter. She is now 9-4 on the season, as Martin fanned nine Oilers on Sunday.

The Lakers won despite only seven hits, as Bertram led the way with a 2-for-4 day, driving in three runs. Her five home runs are second on the team to Martin's eight dingers. Schrader and Plummer were both 1-for-3 with an RBI in game two.

GVSU travels to Big Rapids for a conference doubleheader against Ferris State on Wednesday (April 14). Game one is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m.