COLUMBUS, Ohio - Grace College’s softball team earned a series split with Capital University on Saturday afternoon.
The Lancers (4-2) took game one of the series 5-3 before dropping a dramatic game two 4-3. The Lancers have now won at least one game in the first three series of the year.
The opening inning of game one got off to an inconspicuous for the Lancers as Grace had two out with a runner on first. However, a wild pitch that allowed Daylie Rickard to advance to second base seemed to spark the Lancers’ offense.
Helped along by the wild pitch during her at bat, Sage Ladig earned a free pass to first via a walk and Bree Gardinier wasted no time in following her up with an RBI double to get the Lancers on the board.
Paige McCorkle kept the two-out rally going with an RBI single and Tia O’Connor pushed the Grace advantage to 4-0 with a two RBI double on a line drive to left field.
The Comets (1-1) managed to get one run back in the home half of the inning but Chloe Huff induced a ground ball to end the threat and keep the Lancers’ lead at 4-1.
The Lancers went down quietly in the second inning and on the defensive side Huff demonstrated impressive control retiring the side in order including two-straight strikeouts to end the inning.
After the explosive first inning Grace’s offense struggled to find success over the middle innings and after a third inning run from Capital University, the Lancers led 4-2 entering the fifth frame.
It appeared as if the Comments were going to hold the Lancers scoreless again in the fifth inning but Gardinier had other plans. The senior catcher stepped to the plate with two outs and blasted a home run deep over the center field fence to add to Grace’s lead. The home run was her second of the season.
The Comets got the run back in their half of the inning but Huff and the Lancers defense shut down any hopes of a comeback as they retired seven of the final eight batters they faced.
Gardinier and O’Connor each had multiple hits and RBIs in the game. Huff picked up the complete game win with seven strikeouts and allowing just two earned runs.
Huff is now 3-0 on the season and boasts a 2.00 ERA. She has also struck out 20 batters while allowing only 19 hits. She currently sits third in the Crossroads League for strikeouts per seven innings (6.67).
In game two the Lancers mimicked their quick start from game one scoring a pair of runs in the opening frame.
Halle Nett and Bela Duran each singled to start the inning and a sacrifice fly from Rickard brough Nett in to score for the game's first run.
Ladig earned her way on base with a walk which gave Grace runners on the corners with Duran on third. The Lancers took advantage of their speed on the base paths as Nett stole second base and in an attempt to throw her out the Comets made a defensive miscue which allowed Duran to sprint home and push the Lancers lead to 2-0.
The Lancers added to their lead in the second inning as McCorkle singled and was eventually brought around to score after an RBI from Duran.
Capital University cut into the three-run deficit with a two-out RBI in the third inning but continued to trail 3-1 entering the fifth frame.
In the home half of the fifth inning the Comets again found some two-out magic, driving in a pair of runs to tie the game three runs apiece.
Both Grace and Capital University got runners on base in the sixth inning but neither side found the hits needed to drive in the go-ahead run.
The Comets were able to complete the comeback in walk-off fashion driving in the winning run with one out to secure the 4-3 win.
Duran completed the day with four hits and currently sits with an even .500 batting average which is tied for sixth best in the conference.
The Lancers will be back in action on Tuesday at 3 p.m. for their first conference clash of the season against Goshen.