March 25, 2011
Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
Columbus, Ohio - Grand Valley State opened up conference play on Friday (Mar. 25) in Columbus, Ohio and the Lakers won a pair of wild games over Ohio Dominican by the scores of 12-7 and 7-6. GVSU scored in six of the seven innings of the opener, a game that featured 27 hits and five errors, and the Lakers received a two-out walk-off RBI single from Brittany Taylor to win the nightcap.
The victories put GVSU's winning streak at 11 straight games, as the Lakers have won 14 of their last 15 contests. Grand Valley State improves to 16-3 overall and 2-0 in the GLIAC, while Ohio Dominican falls to 5-15 on the year and 0-2 in league play. It was the first of three consecutive doubleheaders GVSU will play this weekend in Ohio.
In the opener, Grand Valley State scored in every inning except the second, but Ohio Dominican hung around by pushing runs across the plate in four of the seven frames. The Panthers found themselves ahead by a 4-1 score after two innings of play before GVSU cut the deficit to 4-3 on a two-run single from freshman Tonya Calkins, who had a big day for the Lakers. Calkins' hit scored sophomores Nellie Kosola and Kayleigh Bertram, who hit a solo homer in the top of the first inning.
Grand Valley State tied the score in the fourth without a base hit and then added four runs in the fifth inning to take an 8-4 advantage. Junior Carli Raisutis and sophomore Jackie Teutsch each had run-scoring singles during the fifth, while Briauna Taylor had a bases loaded walk and another run scored on a wild pitch. ODU stayed close by putting up two runs in its half of the inning, making the score 8-6 after five innings of play.
Calkins came through again in the top of the sixth inning with a two-run home run that scored sophomore Katie Martin, who walked to lead off the inning. Martin, who leads all of Division II in home runs per game, RBI per game, and slugging percentage, was clearly pitched around by the Panther pitching staff. The sophomore slugger, who had 11 homers in her first 17 games (second most in the country), was walked five times on Friday. Taylor added an RBI single later in the inning to push the score out to 11-6.
Each team would add runs in the seventh, but it wasn't enough for Ohio Dominican to mount a comeback. GVSU righty Andrea Nicholson (6-1) earned the win, giving up six runs on nine hits in 4.2 innings of work. Martin pitched 2.1 innings of relief, giving up one unearned run on five hits for her first save of the year. She struck out three Panthers, while Nicholson received seven flyball outs.
Offensively, Calkins led the way with a season-high four hits, as she was 4-for-5 with four RBI and a pair of runs scored. Raisutis also hit well, as she went 3-for-4 with a pair of ribbies. Taylor also added two RBI, as she was 1-for-3 at the plate and scored twice. Martin officially batted just twice, going 1-for-2, as she walked three times, but also scored three runs. Teutsch was 2-for-4 in the leadoff spot with an RBI and a run scored.
Ohio Dominican struck first in game two with a run off of Laker starter Hannah Santora in the top of the second. GVSU answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the frame on a two-run single from sophomore catcher Emily Holt. The Panthers, however, responded well and took a 4-2 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth. A single down the left field line from freshman Miranda Cleary scored centerfielder Brittany Taylor, who doubled with one out. That drew the Lakers within a run at 4-3.
Grand Valley State broke through in the fifth inning. Martin walked and Calkins singled to right center. Both girls were given pinch runners (Becky Gill for Martin and Maggie Kopas for Calkins), which was a good thing since sophomore Emily Jones delivered a two-run triple, scoring both Gill and Kopas for a 5-4 lead. Briauna Taylor then drove in Jones with a sacrifice fly to put the Lakers on top, 6-4.
The Panthers then tied the score at 6-6 with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, but GVSU won the game in its final at-bat. Martin again walked and pinch runner Raisutis moved to second on Calkins' sacrifice bunt. Raisutis moved to third on a base hit from Jones and with two outs, Brittany Taylor delivered a walk-off single to right field for the game-winning hit and a 7-6 Laker victory.
Both Jones and Brittany Taylor went 3-for-4 in game two, as they both scored two runs apiece. Jones added two RBI, while Taylor drove in one run. Holt was the only other Laker with multiple hits, as she was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI. Santora pitched 5.1 innings, giving up six runs on nine hits with three strikeouts. Martin (5-1) garnered the victory, allowing just one hit (and no runs) in 1.2 innings in the circle.
GVSU continues its three-day, six-game road trip on Saturday (Mar. 26) in Ashland, Ohio. The Lakers square off with the Eagles in games starting at 12:00 p.m.
