April 30, 2011
Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
University Center, Mich. - Grand Valley State fell behind in both contests at Saginaw Valley State on Saturday afternoon (Apr. 30), but the Lakers scored late in both games in an attempt to come from behind, but SVSU held on for a pair of wins in University Center, Mich. The Cardinals won game one, 7-3, and escaped game two with a 4-3 win, as GVSU loaded the bases in the seventh inning, but could not complete their comeback bid in the regular season finale.
It was the final conference games for Grand Valley State, as the Lakers finish the regular season with a 37-12 overall record and a 23-9 mark in GLIAC play. Saginaw Valley State improves to 34-14 on the year and 21-8 in the conference. Entering this week of play, the Lakers were the second seed in most recent regional rankings, while SVSU was slotted sixth. The top eight teams will advance to the Midwest Regional Tournament, but next up for both teams is the GLIAC Tournament next weekend (May 6-8).
The weekend was a stout match-up between GVSU's potent offense and the Cardinals' top pitcher, Jade Fulton, one of the top hurlers in the conference and region. Coming into this week, Grand Valley State was first in all of Division II in batting average (.386) and home runs per game (1.49), as well as second in scoring (7.98) total homers (64). Fulton was a workhorse for the Cardinals, winning all four games in the weekend series and improving to 23-7 on the year.
In game one on Saturday, the Lakers' top hurler, junior Andrea Nicholson, nearly matched Fulton inning by inning. Heading into the bottom of the fourth frame, the game was scoreless and GVSU was outhitting the Cardinals, 3-2. However, SVSU finally broke through with a single and an RBI double for the game's first run. A few batters later, after a walk, the Cardinals' Kailah Happ notched a three-run homer to left center field for a 4-0 lead.
Saginaw Valley State added three more runs in the sixth inning off sophomore Hannah Santora, building a 7-0 cushion before GVSU finally struck in the seventh off Cardinal reliever Alexa Gehrls. After the first two batters struck out, freshman Tonya Calkins singled to left field. Sophomore Kayleigh Bertram followed with a double to right center, scoring Calkins, and then moved to third on a single from center fielder Nellie Kosola. Left fielder Brittany Taylor doubled to left center for the Lakers' fourth consecutive base hit, which scored both Bertram and Kosola. With the game at 7-3 and Taylor on second, GVSU's top hitter, sophomore Katie Martin, came up, but lined out to right field for the game's final out.
Nicholson took the loss, falling to 17-4, as she gave up four runs on five hits in five innings in the circle. She walked one and struck out three batters. Fulton was strong again for Saginaw Valley State, giving up six hits in six innings, while fanning 10 batters in moving to 22-7.
Kosola was 2-for-4 after moving back to the top of the lineup, while adding a run and an RBI. Martin went 2-for-3, while Calkins and Bertram each scored a run. The Lakers actually outhit the Cardinals, 10-8, but just could not cash in on a few scoring opportunities.
Game two was again a meeting of Nicholson and Fulton. Nicholson held SVSU off the board until the third inning when the Cardinals tallied a pair of run-scoring singles to jump ahead 2-0. Saginaw Valley State also notched RBI singles in both the fifth and sixth frames to open up a 4-0 advantage heading into the bottom of the sixth, when the Lakers finally got to Fulton.
Kosola started things off with a single to center field. Two batters later, Martin did what she does best, smashing a home run to right center field, scoring Kosola and cutting the deficit in half, 4-2. It was the 19th homer of the year for Martin, which is just two home runs away from tying the GVSU and GLIAC record for dingers in a single season. Former Laker Kim Biskup hit 21 roundtrippers in both 1999 and 2000.
Later in the inning with two outs, Briauna Taylor crushed a solo homer to center field to make the score 4-3 and give the Lakers hope heading into the seventh. Nicholson got through the top of the seventh unscathed, bringing GVSU to the plate down one run. Calkins came in as a pinch-hitter and promptly singled through the left side. The next two Lakers were retired, but Brittany Taylor singled to left field and moved to second on a fielding error, which pushed pinch-runner Santora to third base. Saginaw Valley State made a very gusty move by intentionally walking Martin and loading the bases with two outs for GVSU's other tremendous power hitter, Miranda Cleary. However, Fulton got the best of this match-up, striking out Cleary to end the game and leaving the bases juiced.
Nicholson again pitched well enough to win, giving up four runs (only two earned) on 11 hits in seven innings. She did not walk a batter and struck out three Cardinals. Fulton was just a tad better, giving up three runs on eight hits, while walking two and striking out 11. After the twinbill, Nicholson is 17-5, while Fulton is 23-7.
Martin went 2-for-3 with her 19th homer, a run scored, and two RBI, as Bertram also went 2-for-3. Briauna Taylor's home run was her fifth of the season and puts the Lakers' program record at 69 roundtrippers at the end of the regular season. GVSU's previous team high was 43 dingers in 2007.
The Lakers will wait to see who they face in the opening round of the double-elimination GLIAC Tournament, being held in Midland, Mich. next weekend (May 6-8).
