ALLENDALE, Mich. - Lake Superior State softball opened the week with a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader on the road against Grand Valley State on Tuesday, April 19. The Lakers (5-31, 1-19 GLIAC) suffered losses of 9-5 in the first game and 12-0 in five innings during the nightcap.
LSSU scored in the top of the second to start the scoring in the first game with an Emily Estep (2-for-4) single on a 2-2 count that drove in Katey Hendershott (2-for-3). Jenna Holt (1-for-1) tried making it a 2-0 early lead but was thrown out at home on the play to effectively end the inning.
GVSU (29-8, 14-5 GLIAC) tied things in the bottom of the second inning with a sacrifice fly to center field by Tanner Kiessel. The home-side Lakers added three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, started with back-to-back home runs from McKenze Supernaw and Shannon Flaherty. Janae Langs added the third run of the fifth inning with an RBI single to widen the lead to 4-1.
Hendershott crossed the plate for the second time in the game for LSSU on an RBI single by Taylor Steinhelper that cut the lead to 4-2 in the top of the sixth inning. Steinhelper finished the game 3-for-5.
GVSU responded with five runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning, including a pair of two run home runs, the first coming by Jenna Lenza and the second coming by Supernaw two batters later. The home run by Supernaw was her second of the game and third RBI of the contest.
The Lakers responded in the top of the seventh with three runs but were unable to mount the full come back. Hendershott doubled in an RBI and later scored her third run of the game on a Katie Martin (2-for-3) single. Estep also knocked in her second RBI of the ballgame with a single to center field that plated Martin.
Riley Durbano (L, 3-11) made the start for LSSU and went 5.1 innings allowing six earned runs on 10 hits. GVSU's Allison Lipovsky (W, 10-1) battled for five innings and allowed only one earned run on four hits and two walks. Both starters recorded one strikeout.
Game 2
Lake Superior State could only muster two hits as a group during the 12-0 loss in innings of the second game. Juniors Carly Banchiu and Kylie Durre each went 1-for-2 to provide the Lakers' only offense as Courtney Reinhold (W, 6-3) went five innings strong and racked up six strikeouts.
LSSU started freshman Alyssa Thayer (L, 1-11) and got three innings of work with three strikeouts but allowed six earned runs, including two home runs.
GVSU was held scoreless through the first two innings but got two runs in the third, four in the fourth inning, and reached the mercy rule with a six-run fifth inning.
LSSU caps the 2015-16 season with their first home games in Sault Ste. Marie in five years with a Friday doubleheader against Ohio Dominican at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and a Saturday twinbill hosting Tiffin at 1 p.m. and 3p.m. from Locey Field. Both doubleheaders are free to attend and the LSSU Office of Campus Life will be hosting a free cookout beginning at 12:45 on Saturday.