March 13, 2012
Box Score - Game One (W, 3-2)
Box Score - Game Two (L, 5-0) | Photo Gallery 
Allendale, Mich. - The #21 Grand Valley State softball team opened the home portion of its 2012 schedule on Tuesday afternoon (Mar. 13) and the Lakers split a non-conference doubleheader against visiting Saint Joseph's. GVSU won the opener by a 3-2 score before the Pumas were victorious in game two, 5-0.
It was an early-season meeting between two teams that had strong records after their trips to Florida to begin the 2012 season. Grand Valley State entered the game with an 11-1 record while Saint Joseph's came into the contest with an 11-3 mark. The Lakers averaged exactly seven runs per game during their dozen-game trip to the NTC Spring Games in Florida last week, but both teams had a tough time with the bats on Tuesday.
Neither team was able to push a run across the board in the first four innings, as GVSU's Andrea Nicholsonand Saint Joseph's Megan Ramey were strong early on. In fact, each team had just one hit apiece throughout the first four frames. A two-out single to left field from Kristin Paris in the fifth inning, coupled with a Laker error, put runners on first and second base. Amy Varner singled to left center field to score Paris for the game's first run and a 1-0 SJC lead.
The Lakers responded in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, sophomore Miranda Cleary hit a monstrous fly ball that appeared to be heading directly to center field. Paris, the Pumas center fielder, had to deal with a strong wind and was on a dead sprint towards the infield as the ball was falling. The ball ended up hitting off her glove while she was nearly in the infield, falling for an error, as Cleary reached first base. Junior Emily Jonesfollowed with a perfect bunt and as she was a step away from first base, the throw from the catcher hit Jones in the back. The ball rolled to the fence and Cleary was able to get all the way to third base on the error.
Two batters later, junior center fielder Nellie Kosola ripped a single up the middle, scoring Cleary to tie the game at 1-1. The next batter was shortstop Briauna Taylor, who laced a single to center field and brought in Jones from second base, putting the Lakers ahead 2-1.
GVSU added a run in the sixth inning after senior Carli Raisutis singled and was replaced by pinch runner Jackie Teutsch. Second baseman Kayleigh Bertramlaid down a terrific sacrifice bunt and moved Teutsch to second base. Cleary brought Teutsch home two batters later with a single to right center for a huge insurance run and a 3-1 Laker advantage.
That RBI single from Cleary proved costly as Saint Joseph's pushed a run across the plate in the seventh, but it could have been much more. With runners on second and third base and one out, Varner singled to center field and drove in a run to make the score 3-2. However, Varner tried to reach second base when Jones threw the ball in from right center field. Jones' throw went directly to the cutoff man - first baseman Tonya Calkins- who threw to second base (where Taylor was covering) and Varner was tagged for a crucial second out. Instead of runners on the corners with one out, Saint Joseph's had the game-tying runner on third base, but with two outs. Nicholson forced the next batter to ground out to Taylor at shortstop to end the game.
In seven innings, Nicholson allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits. She moved to 6-1 on the season by walking one batter and striking out two. Nicholson recorded 10 groundball outs and eight fly outs in the victory. Ramey, who entered the game with a perfect 7-0 record, took the loss for Saint Joseph's by giving up two unearned runs in 4.2 innings of work.
Six different Lakers recorded one base hit in the game, as both teams tallied six hits. Kosola, Taylor, and Cleary each had a hit and an RBI in game one.
Saint Joseph's jumped on top in game two with a run-scoring double from Shawn Hoskins in the top of the first inning to lead 1-0. The advantage pushed out to 4-0 in the third inning after a two-run homer to left center from Brittnie Boerema and an RBI single from Rachel Weaver. SJC added another run in the sixth inning on a run-scoring double for the final tally of the game.
The Lakers could never seem to get their offense in gear in game two against Saint Joseph's Sarah Franklin. GVSU could muster only five base hits and all five came in different innings. Even when Kosola smacked a one-out triple to left center field in the sixth inning, she was stranded just 60 feet from home plate.
Franklin's record moved to 4-3 with the win, as she allowed just five hits in a complete-game win. GVSU's Hannah Santora suffered her first loss of the season after a perfect 4-0 week in Florida to start the year. Santora allowed five runs (three earned) on nine hits in 5.2 innings to fall to 4-1 this season. Sophomore Kayla Hurdpitched 1.1 innings of one-hit relief, striking out two batters.
Kosola was the lone Laker with more than one hit, as she went 2-for-2 with a walk and the triple. Katie Martin, Maggie Kopas, and Maggie Kerriganeach recorded singles in game two.
Grand Valley State heads to Ohio for a pair of doubleheaders this weekend. The Lakers will take on Walsh at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday (Mar. 17) before facing Urbana at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday (Mar. 18).
