Grace Roundup: Lady Lancers Split With Rival Bethel
March 26, 2019 at 4:24 a.m.
By Josh Neuhart-
The Lady Lancers poured in 25 runs on 29 hits, blasting four home runs in the process. Grace won the opening game 13-5 in a run-rule, but Bethel got revenge by winning the second game 13-12.
In the opener, Grace scored in each of the first five innings to end the game early from the mercy rule. Olivia Scarbrough doubled and then scored in the top of the first to start Grace’s scoring.
In the top of the third, Britney Young sent a 2-1 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run homer.
Grace ripped off four more runs in the top of the fourth – all with two outs in the frame. Morgan Tapscott hit an RBI single to start the scoring, and Young later drove in two runs with a double. Natalie Klingberg had an RBI single on the next at-bat to bring in Young.
The Lady Lancers (5-14, 1-6 Crossroads League) were able to end the game in the fifth with five runs. Kaitlyn Heffner set the tone with a leadoff home run, and Grace quickly loaded the bases soon after. Young singled to score a pair of runs, and Erin Lawhon then singled to score another. Andrea Castillo’s fly ball allowed Young to score for the final run of the game.
Young was dynamic, going 3 for 4 with three runs and six RBIs, and Bethany Gardner was 3 for 3.
Tapscott was 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI, Scarbrough hit 2 for 3 with three runs scored, and Jessica Kaurich finished 2 for 4 with two runs and a run driven in.
In the second game, Grace led 4-2 after the top of the fourth inning. Young had a two-run single in the third, and Emily Bobb’s alert baserunning brought her around the basepaths to score in the fourth.
But the Pilots (4-12, 1-5 CL) retaliated by hanging six runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good. Five of those runs were scored with two outs, and the final run plated directly after an error by Grace in the field.
Lawhon’s three-run homer in the top of the fifth kept Grace within striking distance. Bethel put the game almost out of reach by scoring five more runs over the next two innings, handing the Pilots a 13-8 lead.
The Lady Lancers nearly pulled off a memorable comeback in the seventh inning but came up one run short. Grace scored four runs to cut Bethel’s lead down to one, but the Lady Lancers’ potential tying run was thrown out at the plate to end the game.
Bobb hit 3 for 3 with three runs, one RBI and one stolen base, and Kaurich was 2 for 5 with a home run, a run and three RBIs.
Lawhon was 1 for 2 with a run scored and three runs driven in, and Sam Heim batted 2 for 3 with one run scored.
The Lady Lancers remain on the road today, playing at Spring Arbor in a 3 p.m. doubleheader.
Baseball Team Drops Doubleheader
SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – Grace’s baseball team nearly ended its series with Spring Arbor on a high note Monday.
But the Cougars held off a late charge by the Lancers to secure the doubleheader sweep in Michigan. SAU won the opener 11-1 before eking out a 7-6 win in the finale.
The Lancers (7-9, 3-6 Crossroads League) struggled to find momentum in the first game; SAU racked up seven runs across the first three frames, and Grace never recovered.
The Lancers were held to four hits while committing five errors in the field. Houston Haney hit a double, and Sid Elford recorded a pinch-hit RBI single as the bright spots offensively.
Grace’s bats were more lively in the second half of the twin bill. The Lancers jumped on the scoreboard early for a 2-0 lead.
RJ Snyder started the game with a walk, and he came around to score on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly from Haney.
Snyder plated again in the third inning, benefitting from a pair of errors by the Cougars (11-18, 4-5 CL).
In response, SAU put up three runs in the bottom of the third and four more in the fifth to seize momentum. Conversely, Grace’s offense was quiet until the seventh.
Hunter Ackerman and Sam Newkirk started the seventh inning with singles and then later scored; Grace left two baserunners stranded in the inning, however.
In the eighth, Grace nearly tied the game. The Lancers loaded the bases with nobody out, and a balk allowed Haney a free pass to home plate to make the score 7-5.
On the next at-bat, Newkirk executed a squeeze bunt to score Wyatt Buzbee. But the potential tying run was tagged out on the basepaths to end Grace’s threat. The Lancers were retired 1-2-3 in the ninth to conclude their series with SAU.
Ethan Brooks was Grace’s sharpest pitcher; he went three innings in relief, yielding one hit and no runs.
Snyder scored two runs with two walks, Haney had a run and an RBI, and Newkirk finished 1 for 3 with a run and a run driven in.
The Lancers remain on the road today with a 2:30 p.m. doubleheader at IU Kokomo.
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The Lady Lancers poured in 25 runs on 29 hits, blasting four home runs in the process. Grace won the opening game 13-5 in a run-rule, but Bethel got revenge by winning the second game 13-12.
In the opener, Grace scored in each of the first five innings to end the game early from the mercy rule. Olivia Scarbrough doubled and then scored in the top of the first to start Grace’s scoring.
In the top of the third, Britney Young sent a 2-1 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run homer.
Grace ripped off four more runs in the top of the fourth – all with two outs in the frame. Morgan Tapscott hit an RBI single to start the scoring, and Young later drove in two runs with a double. Natalie Klingberg had an RBI single on the next at-bat to bring in Young.
The Lady Lancers (5-14, 1-6 Crossroads League) were able to end the game in the fifth with five runs. Kaitlyn Heffner set the tone with a leadoff home run, and Grace quickly loaded the bases soon after. Young singled to score a pair of runs, and Erin Lawhon then singled to score another. Andrea Castillo’s fly ball allowed Young to score for the final run of the game.
Young was dynamic, going 3 for 4 with three runs and six RBIs, and Bethany Gardner was 3 for 3.
Tapscott was 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI, Scarbrough hit 2 for 3 with three runs scored, and Jessica Kaurich finished 2 for 4 with two runs and a run driven in.
In the second game, Grace led 4-2 after the top of the fourth inning. Young had a two-run single in the third, and Emily Bobb’s alert baserunning brought her around the basepaths to score in the fourth.
But the Pilots (4-12, 1-5 CL) retaliated by hanging six runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good. Five of those runs were scored with two outs, and the final run plated directly after an error by Grace in the field.
Lawhon’s three-run homer in the top of the fifth kept Grace within striking distance. Bethel put the game almost out of reach by scoring five more runs over the next two innings, handing the Pilots a 13-8 lead.
The Lady Lancers nearly pulled off a memorable comeback in the seventh inning but came up one run short. Grace scored four runs to cut Bethel’s lead down to one, but the Lady Lancers’ potential tying run was thrown out at the plate to end the game.
Bobb hit 3 for 3 with three runs, one RBI and one stolen base, and Kaurich was 2 for 5 with a home run, a run and three RBIs.
Lawhon was 1 for 2 with a run scored and three runs driven in, and Sam Heim batted 2 for 3 with one run scored.
The Lady Lancers remain on the road today, playing at Spring Arbor in a 3 p.m. doubleheader.
Baseball Team Drops Doubleheader
SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – Grace’s baseball team nearly ended its series with Spring Arbor on a high note Monday.
But the Cougars held off a late charge by the Lancers to secure the doubleheader sweep in Michigan. SAU won the opener 11-1 before eking out a 7-6 win in the finale.
The Lancers (7-9, 3-6 Crossroads League) struggled to find momentum in the first game; SAU racked up seven runs across the first three frames, and Grace never recovered.
The Lancers were held to four hits while committing five errors in the field. Houston Haney hit a double, and Sid Elford recorded a pinch-hit RBI single as the bright spots offensively.
Grace’s bats were more lively in the second half of the twin bill. The Lancers jumped on the scoreboard early for a 2-0 lead.
RJ Snyder started the game with a walk, and he came around to score on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly from Haney.
Snyder plated again in the third inning, benefitting from a pair of errors by the Cougars (11-18, 4-5 CL).
In response, SAU put up three runs in the bottom of the third and four more in the fifth to seize momentum. Conversely, Grace’s offense was quiet until the seventh.
Hunter Ackerman and Sam Newkirk started the seventh inning with singles and then later scored; Grace left two baserunners stranded in the inning, however.
In the eighth, Grace nearly tied the game. The Lancers loaded the bases with nobody out, and a balk allowed Haney a free pass to home plate to make the score 7-5.
On the next at-bat, Newkirk executed a squeeze bunt to score Wyatt Buzbee. But the potential tying run was tagged out on the basepaths to end Grace’s threat. The Lancers were retired 1-2-3 in the ninth to conclude their series with SAU.
Ethan Brooks was Grace’s sharpest pitcher; he went three innings in relief, yielding one hit and no runs.
Snyder scored two runs with two walks, Haney had a run and an RBI, and Newkirk finished 1 for 3 with a run and a run driven in.
The Lancers remain on the road today with a 2:30 p.m. doubleheader at IU Kokomo.
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