UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - Lake Superior State softball traveled to Saginaw Valley State on Friday to make up a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader that was postponed from last Saturday due to inclement weather conditions.
The Lakers (4-22, 0-10 GLIAC) were shutout 8-0 during the opener in a seven inning contest. At the plate, the Lakers managed only five hits and struck out 10 times .
The Cardinals (20-8, 6-4 GLIAC) needed just seven hits to score their eight runs and also racked up five base-on-balls in the day's first game.
Teryn Williams (1-for-3), Carly Banchiu (1-for-3), Katey Hendershott (1-for-2), Alyssa Boucher (1-for-3) and Kelsey Mader (1-for-3) made up the five hits for the Lakers, all were singles. Hendershott also drew a walk, as did Kylie Durre (0-for-1).
Freshman Alyssa Thayer (L, 1-7) pitched 6.1 innings, allowing eight runs and striking out two batters. Her counterpart, Sarah Vrabel (W, 6-2), tossed 4.0 innings and struck out three batters in earning the win. Sarah Appold relieved Vrabel in the fifth inning and slammed the door with three solid innings without giving up a hit and striking out seven batters.
SVSU opened the scoring with two runs in the third inning and two runs in the fourth inning to take the 4-0 lead mid-way through the first game. Madison Burgess doubled to left centerfield to plate Lauren Bachert and Bethany Murphey in the third and Murphey homered in the fourth inning to score herself and Sarah Vrabel.
Evy Lobdell hit a sacrifice fly to score Shelby Weeks in the top of the sixth inning and the Cardinals added their final runs in the top of the seventh inning before Appold finished off the combined shutout of the Lakers.
Game 2
The Cardinals went back to the well in the second game and received effective pitching, using three new pitchers to stifle LSSU hitters. The SVSU hurlers combined for their second-straight shutout by limiting the Lakers to just four hits in Game 2 and did not allow a walk.
SVSU scored three runs in three-of-the-four innings they batted in and two runs in the bottom of the second inning to run away with the 11-0 victory in the five-inning shortened contest.
Annie Hansen (W, 5-1) started for the Cardinals in the second game and picked up the win in just 3.0 innings of work where she allowed one hit and struck out a batter. Anna Conard and Hannah Atwell each pitched an inning in the shortened game to close out the victory.
Sophomore Riley Durbano (L, 2-10) started for the Lakers but lasted only two innings and was tagged with six runs (five earned) while walking three batters and stiking out one. Durbano gave up five hits including a solo home run to open the third inning, which effectively ended her outing.
Williams and Banchiu each picked up singles for the second-straight game, while Durre and Jenna Holt each added a hit each. Banchiu lead the Lakers with a .361 batting average this season, while Williams ranks fourth on the team with a .329 mark at the plate. Both players lead the team with 26 hits this season.
Saturday's scheduled doubleheader against Lake Erie College has been postponed and Sunday's games scheduled against Ashland will now be played Saturday, April 9 at 1 p.m. and 3p.m. in Xenia, Ohio.