Surging Offense Fuels Softball Win Over Lourdes
April 6, 2021 at 8:37 p.m.
Surging Offense Fuels Softball Win Over Lourdes
By Grant Cook-
Grace lost the first game 6-5 but bounced back with an impressive offensive showing to win the second game 9-2.
The first game was a back-and-forth affair that Grace (5-29, 4-12 Crossroads League) dropped in dramatic walkoff fashion.
Both teams had base runners early in the game, but only the Gray Wolves (3-18) could capitalize.
The Lady Lancers used two hits and a walk to load the bases in the top of the first, but a flyout ended the threat. In the home half of the first, Lourdes homered and scored another run on a wild pitch to take the early 2-0 lead.
In the third inning Grace broke through. Jeri Ellis and Jaden Cardoso each singled before Jessica Kaurich earned a walk to load the bases for the second time in the game.
Britney Young then singled to drive in her 20th RBI of the season. Laikyn Lowe was walked to score the game-tying run.
Lourdes would reclaim the lead in the fourth to take a 3-2 advantage.
Britney Young doubled for Grace to start the fifth, and she scored with an RBI by Alice Terhune. The Lady Lancers would then take the lead when Grace Rohloff scored off a double from Olivia Hess.
Grace would extend its lead to 5-3 in the sixth inning when Carly Ruiz drove in Cardoso.
The Gray Wolves tied the game in the bottom half of the sixth inning before setting themselves up for the walkoff victory. Lourdes used three singles in the seventh to score the clinching run.
Seven players had hits for Grace. Young had two hits and an RBI. Kaurich, Ruiz, Lowe and Terhune also drove in runs. Bethany Gardner stole another base to give her the team lead on the season.
Alexis Bergman pitched five and a third in relief and had two strikeouts.
The bats were quiet early in game two as neither team could get anything going through two innings.
In the third inning the Lady Lancers scored the first run of the game when Ruiz drove in Cardoso.
Grace’s lead was short lived, however, as the Gray Wolves answered back in their half of the inning by plating two runs to take a 2-1 lead.
The Lady Lancers were unfazed and soon regained control over the game.
Madison Bremer and Hess each reached safely and then were doubled in by Ellis. After Ellis’s two-RBI hit, Cardoso got her second career home run with a bomb over the left field fence.
The four-run fourth inning shifted the momentum in Grace’s favor as they took a 5-2 lead.
The Lady Lancers would add to their lead in the sixth. Gardner singled in Kyrah Lewis, and Cardoso added two more RBIs to her already impressive day pushing the Grace lead to 8-2.
Ellis would add one more the Lady Lancers’ total in the seventh, but it was not needed as Madison Bremer forced three straight ground outs to pick up the complete game victory.
Bremer allowed just six hits in seven innings for her first win of the year.
Young had her second multi-hit game on the afternoon going 3 for 4. Hess and Gardner also picked up multiple hits.
Ellis and Cardoso powered the Grace offense with three and four RBIs respectively.
Grace has a quick turnaround as they travel Indianapolis on Tuesday to take on No. 6 Marian. The first game is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Trio of tracksters earn national honors
WINONA LAKE - Grace’s track and field team picked up three national honors on Monday from the NCCAA.
Gracious O’Connor, Isaac Brown and John Green were named the NCCAA Student-Athletes of the Week for the Lancers after their performances at the George Glass Invitational.
Additionally, O’Connor was named the Crossroads League Women’s Outdoor Athlete of the Week.
O’Connor had a part in two winning events for the Lady Lancers. She won the 100-meter dash in 12.24 seconds. The women's 4x100 relay established a new school record of 48.32 to win the event and hit the NAIA "B" standard. The foursome of Julia Malson, Nordia Campbell, O'Connor and Sarah O'Day become the first women's relay team from Grace to ever qualify for the NAIA Outdoor Nationals.
Green claimed the unofficial title of "fastest man in Grace history" with his time in the 100-meter dash. He broke one of the oldest records in the record book, sprinting to a time of 10.70 seconds to win the race. His mark tops the previous best of 10.84 set by Ron Smith in 1984. He also was runner-up in the 4x400 (along with Tanner Sallee, Tyler Morrison and Kyle Smith).
Brown cleared 6-feet-11 to win the high jump and break his own school record. That height surpassed the NAIA "A" qualifying standard and is currently tied for the top mark in the NAIA.
The Lancers are headed to Manchester on Saturday for their next meet.
Grace lost the first game 6-5 but bounced back with an impressive offensive showing to win the second game 9-2.
The first game was a back-and-forth affair that Grace (5-29, 4-12 Crossroads League) dropped in dramatic walkoff fashion.
Both teams had base runners early in the game, but only the Gray Wolves (3-18) could capitalize.
The Lady Lancers used two hits and a walk to load the bases in the top of the first, but a flyout ended the threat. In the home half of the first, Lourdes homered and scored another run on a wild pitch to take the early 2-0 lead.
In the third inning Grace broke through. Jeri Ellis and Jaden Cardoso each singled before Jessica Kaurich earned a walk to load the bases for the second time in the game.
Britney Young then singled to drive in her 20th RBI of the season. Laikyn Lowe was walked to score the game-tying run.
Lourdes would reclaim the lead in the fourth to take a 3-2 advantage.
Britney Young doubled for Grace to start the fifth, and she scored with an RBI by Alice Terhune. The Lady Lancers would then take the lead when Grace Rohloff scored off a double from Olivia Hess.
Grace would extend its lead to 5-3 in the sixth inning when Carly Ruiz drove in Cardoso.
The Gray Wolves tied the game in the bottom half of the sixth inning before setting themselves up for the walkoff victory. Lourdes used three singles in the seventh to score the clinching run.
Seven players had hits for Grace. Young had two hits and an RBI. Kaurich, Ruiz, Lowe and Terhune also drove in runs. Bethany Gardner stole another base to give her the team lead on the season.
Alexis Bergman pitched five and a third in relief and had two strikeouts.
The bats were quiet early in game two as neither team could get anything going through two innings.
In the third inning the Lady Lancers scored the first run of the game when Ruiz drove in Cardoso.
Grace’s lead was short lived, however, as the Gray Wolves answered back in their half of the inning by plating two runs to take a 2-1 lead.
The Lady Lancers were unfazed and soon regained control over the game.
Madison Bremer and Hess each reached safely and then were doubled in by Ellis. After Ellis’s two-RBI hit, Cardoso got her second career home run with a bomb over the left field fence.
The four-run fourth inning shifted the momentum in Grace’s favor as they took a 5-2 lead.
The Lady Lancers would add to their lead in the sixth. Gardner singled in Kyrah Lewis, and Cardoso added two more RBIs to her already impressive day pushing the Grace lead to 8-2.
Ellis would add one more the Lady Lancers’ total in the seventh, but it was not needed as Madison Bremer forced three straight ground outs to pick up the complete game victory.
Bremer allowed just six hits in seven innings for her first win of the year.
Young had her second multi-hit game on the afternoon going 3 for 4. Hess and Gardner also picked up multiple hits.
Ellis and Cardoso powered the Grace offense with three and four RBIs respectively.
Grace has a quick turnaround as they travel Indianapolis on Tuesday to take on No. 6 Marian. The first game is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Trio of tracksters earn national honors
WINONA LAKE - Grace’s track and field team picked up three national honors on Monday from the NCCAA.
Gracious O’Connor, Isaac Brown and John Green were named the NCCAA Student-Athletes of the Week for the Lancers after their performances at the George Glass Invitational.
Additionally, O’Connor was named the Crossroads League Women’s Outdoor Athlete of the Week.
O’Connor had a part in two winning events for the Lady Lancers. She won the 100-meter dash in 12.24 seconds. The women's 4x100 relay established a new school record of 48.32 to win the event and hit the NAIA "B" standard. The foursome of Julia Malson, Nordia Campbell, O'Connor and Sarah O'Day become the first women's relay team from Grace to ever qualify for the NAIA Outdoor Nationals.
Green claimed the unofficial title of "fastest man in Grace history" with his time in the 100-meter dash. He broke one of the oldest records in the record book, sprinting to a time of 10.70 seconds to win the race. His mark tops the previous best of 10.84 set by Ron Smith in 1984. He also was runner-up in the 4x400 (along with Tanner Sallee, Tyler Morrison and Kyle Smith).
Brown cleared 6-feet-11 to win the high jump and break his own school record. That height surpassed the NAIA "A" qualifying standard and is currently tied for the top mark in the NAIA.
The Lancers are headed to Manchester on Saturday for their next meet.
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