April 18, 2010
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Allendale, Mich. -
Sunday's GLIAC doubleheader between Grand Valley State and Tiffin featured a pair of 5-4 games, with GVSU emerging victorious in the opener and the Dragons winning game two in their final at-bat. The Lakers trailed 4-0 in game one before scoring five unanswered runs for the victory and came from two runs down twice in the nightcap before Tiffin pulled out the conference win.
With the split, Grand Valley State is now 21-15 with a 9-7 record in the GLIAC, as Tiffin falls to 25-15 on the year and 7-9 in league play. Tiffin jumped out to an early lead in both games, but the Lakers never gave in, battling back to earn the split. GVSU has split four of its last five conference doubleheaders.
The Dragons jumped ahead 2-0 in game one before the Lakers came to the plate and added two more runs in the top of the second inning to lead 4-0. All four runs came off of Laker starter Andrea Nicholson, who struggled in her two innings of work. She allowed four runs on five hits, while walking three batters. But GVSU would respond positively and keep chipping way at the deficit.
In the bottom of the second, a Maggie Kerrigan RBI single to left field drove home senior Stephanee Schrader, who started the inning with a leadoff single. Trailing 4-1, GVSU added another tally in the third frame, as sophomore catcher Carli Raisutis and senior first baseman Breanne Kronberg notched back-to-back doubles. Kronberg's run-scoring two-bagger cut the Tiffin lead in half, as GVSU trailed just 4-2 heading into the fourth inning.
Three Laker freshmen combined to put together the team's third run, as center fielder Nellie Kosola led off the bottom of the fourth with a bunt single. Second baseman Kayleigh Bertram pushed Kosola to second on a sacrifice bunt, and third baseman Katie Martin drove in Kosola with an RBI double to right field, bringing the Lakers to within a run at 4-3. GVSU would take the lead in the bottom of the fifth, thanks to a little assistance from the Tiffin defense.
Schrader began the frame with a single down the left field line. Senior Becky Plummer beat out an infield single and the throw from the shortstop was wild, pushing Plummer to second. While Schrader was running to third, the throw from the first baseman sailed over the head of the Dragons' third baseman and out of play, allowing Schrader to score and Plummer to move up to third base. Three batters later, Kosola drove in the game-winning run with a single to left field, scoring Plummer and giving the Lakers their first lead of the day.
At this point, senior Lauren Rohan was on the mound for the Lakers and cruising along, as she retired the first seven batters she faced. After being handed a one-run lead, she ended the sixth inning on a double play, as Kerrigan threw the runner out at first base after fielding a soft line drive near second base. Rohan nearly ended the seventh inning on a double play, as well, but the Dragon base runner beat out a potential 1-5-3 twin killing to keep two runners on base with two outs. Rohan then induced a groundball for the final out of the game.
Earning her third win of the season, Rohan pitched 5.0 innings while allowing just four base hits and no runs. She walked a batter and struck out two, as she received eight fly ball outs. Offensively for the Lakers, they recorded 13 base hits and four players tallied multi-hit games. Kosola totaled a game-high three hits, as she was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI, while Martin, Raisutis, and Schrader all had two hits apeice. Schrader scored a pair of runs for the Lakers, as eight different players tallied a base hit and four players notched an RBI.
Tiffin again jumped ahead in game two, leading 2-0 after the first inning before GVSU tied the score in the top of the third frame. Kosola singled through the right side and was pushed to second on Bertram's sacrifice bunt. Martin then doubled to left center, driving in Kosola to make the score 2-1. After a wild pitch moved Martin to third, she trotted home on Kronberg's bloop double to center field, as Kronberg showed great hussle and awareness by advancing to second base when it was left uncovered.
The lead did not last long, as the Dragons put a single run on the board in both the third and fourth innings to push out to a 4-2 advantage. GVSU would finally make its move in the top of the seventh, as Kosola notched a terrific one-out bunt single. After Bertram flied out to center, Martin provided her third double of the day, an RBI two-bagger to left center which drove in Kosola. Jackie Teutsch came in to pinch run for Martin and the switch was very beneficial, as Teutsch rounded third and scored on Kronberg's single up the middle, tying the game at 4-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh.
After giving up a pair of two-run leads, Tiffin responded with the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh. The first batter of the inning, Stephanie Bobotas, walked and advanced all the way to third base on a sacrifice bunt when the Lakers left third base uncovered during the bunt. With two outs, Alyssa Brown hit a grounder to short and Kerrigan's throw to first was just the slightest bit off target, as Brown beat the throw and Bobotas crossed home plate with the winning run.
Sophomore Becky Gill pitched 4.2 solid innings of relief in just her second collegiate pitching appearance, after she made her debut on Saturday against Ashland. Gill gave up two runs on six hits in 4.2 innings of work, keeping the Lakers in the ballgame. Rohan was tagged with the tough loss, as she gave up the one unearned run without allowing a hit. She is now 3-4 on the season.
GVSU tallied seven hits, as Kosola, Martin, and Kronberg each had two hits apiece. Martin and Kronberg each drove in a pair of runs, while Kosola crossed home plate twice in the game. Raisutis had the team's other hit, while Martin notched two more doubles to her team-leading 12 two-baggers.
The Lakers will host conference rival and top seed in the Midwest Region, Saginaw Valley State, on Wednesday afternoon (April 21) in a home doubleheader, slated to begin at 3:30 p.m.
