WINONA LAKE – Grace College’s softball team used an offensive showcase in Game 1 and a defensive clinic in the second game to sweep Purdue North Central on Monday. The Lady Lancers (10-10) won 12-1 in the opener and 2-1 in the second game in their home opener at Miller Athletic Complex. In the opener, Grace scored early and often against the Panthers (4-15). The Lady Lancers ripped off 12 runs and ended the game after five innings thanks to the run-rule. Grace scored five runs in each of the first two innings. Chandler Elliott and Ashley Kleinbub hit back-to-back RBI doubles in the first inning, and Kyleigh Garner drove in two more with a single. Garner’s big day continued in the second inning as she cleared the bases with a three-run triple. Abby Mozingo and Clarissa Knight also had RBI singles in the inning. In the third inning, Kleinbub led off with a triple, and Sam Heim drove her in with a single. Heim stole second and third base and then scampered home on a wild pitch. The Panthers managed to plate a run in the top of the fourth, but it was not enough to prolong the game. Elliott threw all five innings from the circle, striking out two and allowing four hits to get the win. Garner batted 2 for 2 with five RBIs to lead Grace’s offense, and Heim was a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs. Kleinbub tallied two hits, three runs and three RBIs, and Mozingo was 2 for 3 at the plate. In the second game, Grace’s defense took over. Hannah England threw a complete game five-hitter to lead the Lady Lancers to a 2-1 victory. All three runs in the game were scored in the first two innings. A leadoff double helped the Panthers plate in the top of the first inning. Grace countered with a run in both the first and second innings. Hannah Herbster started Grace’s half of the first with a single. She reached third base after a pair of ground outs, and Elliott singled her in with two outs. Brittany Turner stood on second base with two outs in the second inning when Heim laced a standup triple to the fence. Heim’s swing turned out to be the game winner. PNC had its best chance to tie the game in the fourth. The Panthers had runners on the corners and one out when a ground ball was hit to third base. Turner fielded the ball cleanly and fired the ball to catcher Paige Hlutke, and Hlutke applied the tag out at home to deny the tying run. Turner and Elliott were both 2 for 3 at the plate, and Morgan Hutcheson and Heim had one hit each. The Lady Lancers head to Mishawaka today to play Crossroads League rival Bethel in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.
