May 2, 2010

Box Score

University Center, Mich. - Closing out the GLIAC regular season, Grand Valley State dropped a pair of pitching duels at Saginaw Valley State on Sunday afternoon (May 2). The Cardinals held off GVSU by a 2-1 score in the opener and scored the final four runs in a 4-2 victory in the nightcap, as the Lakers owned a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning of game two.

Grand Valley State finishes the regular season with a 22-24 record, as the Lakers went 10-16 in the GLIAC. Saginaw Valley State improves to 27-14 on the year, as the Cardinals were 14-12 in league play. Both teams advance to the GLIAC Tournament next weekend (May 7-9) in Midland.

Neither game featured much offense, which was a stark contrast to the doubleheader that was played on April 21 in Allendale. That day, the Lakers won game one by an 8-0 score before SVSU responded for a 9-1 win in the second game. Saginaw Valley State cracked the scoreboard first in Sunday's opener by using the long ball. Angie Kaiser hit a two-run homer off of Laker starter Lauren Rohan to put the Cardinals ahead in the fourth inning.

Rohan (4-9) pitched well the rest of the way, though she was tagged for the loss after giving up two runs on just five hits in six innings in the circle. She recorded 11 flyball outs and six groundouts from the errorless defense behind her in the field. In the top of the seventh, the GVSU offense nearly tied the game up.

Leading off the seventh inning was freshman shortstop Maggie Kopas, who connected on the first homerun of her collegiate career, a solo blast that made the score 2-1. Second baseman Maggie Kerrigan followed Kopas' homer with a walk and moved to second base with two outs. SVSU took no chances with freshman slugger Katie Martin, intentionally walking her and putting runners at first and second base with two outs. Sophomore catcher Carli Raisutis, who has been hitting the ball very well as of late, fouled out to end the game.

Only three players in the game had more than one hit, as the Lakers had two of the three hitters. Kopas was 2-for-3 with her first RBI of the season, while freshman Nellie Kosola went 2-for-4. Kerrigan and freshman Kayleigh Bertram each had a base hit.

The Lakers continued to play with the previously nationally-ranked Cardinals in game two, as GVSU notched a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Kopas again started the rally with a leadoff single through the left side. Senior Lesley Bates pinch ran for Kopas and moved to third base after a sacrifice bunt and an SVSU error. Kerrigan pinch ran for Raisutis (who reached on the error) and both players scored on an infield single from freshman Jackie Teutsch, as the Cardinals committed another error on the play, allowing Kerrigan to score from second.

Saginaw Valley State tied the game in the top of the sixth by using an RBI double to cut the lead in half and then knot the score at 2-2 with a run scored on a wild pitch. After seven innings of play, the game was still tied, as the teams went into extra innings. SVSU picked up a pair of runs on a fielder's choice and a wild pitch, leading 4-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth.

Bertram and Martin started the frame with consecutive singles and moved to second and third base with two outs after a passed ball. However, the inning ended on a flyball out from freshman Emily Holt, putting a half to the Laker comeback attempt.

GVSU righthander Andrea Nicholson pitched well, going all eight innings and allowing four runs on seven hits. In falling to 8-9 on the year, Nicholson recorded 12 flyball outs and 11 groundouts, as again the Laker defense played flawless in game two. Kopas again picked up a multi-hit contest, as she was 2-for-4, while Teutsch was 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Heading into the GLIAC Tournament next weekend, Grand Valley State is the #7 seed and will face #2 Ashland in the opening round on Friday (May 7). Game times have yet to be determined for the double elimination tournament.