April 8, 2008

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

ADRIAN, Mich. - In a day that featured two very different games, the Adrian College softball team split a conference doubleheader with Calvin College, falling in game one 8-7 before claiming a thrilling 4-2 win in nine innings.

The Knights got on the scoreboard in the first inning when Loren Scarbrough drilled a three-run home run over the centerfield fence to give the visitors the early 3-0 lead.

After plating one run in the bottom half of the frame and three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, the Bulldogs pulled themselves right back into the game. Krissy Sheets had a bunt single to get on base in the first inning. Sheets moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and would score when Holly Lowe hit the ball to the Calvin shortstop, who then made a bad throw to the side fence when trying to throw to third to try to get Sheets advancing on the grounder.

Thanks to some errors by the Knights, Erica Fracassa and Kristen Toney each reached base and later scored in the fourth inning to tie the game at 3-3.

In the top of the fourth inning, the Knights regained the lead on a dropped third strike opportunity that went in favor of the visitors, but the Bulldogs once again responded with some offensive output. Meghan Stevens was hit by a pitch and would advance to third on back-to-back singles by Fracassa and Carly Toth. Stevens was then driven in by Toney on a fielder's choice to the infield.

In the sixth inning, the Knights would get what turned out to be the decisive run support when they scored four runs after sending ten batters to the plate in the inning. Adrian would not give up game one without a fight. Krissy Sheets led off the bottom of the sixth with a bunt single for her fourth hit of the game. Two batters later, Lowe hit her third home run of the season on a line drive over the right field fence to cut the Calvin lead to 8-6. In the bottom half of the seventh inning, Erica Fracassa had a lead-off walk. Fracassa then moved to third on an error that allowed Toth to reach first. Ashley Kalinski then picked up the RBI as she had a sacrifice fly to center field that allowed Fracassa to score easily. The Bulldogs, however, fell short at the end and dropped game one 8-7.

Andrea Vangoss threw all seven innings in the loss. The senior struck out three and gave up just seven hits in the contest.

In game two, the Bulldogs would be the ones to strike first by getting a run in the top of the first inning. Katie Adams walked in her first at bat and advanced to second on a Lowe slap. Jenna Kloster then hit what had seemed to be a routine grounder to second base that ended up getting away from the Calvin player, which allowed Adams to score from second base.

The Knights knotted the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning when they got their first two hits of the game. Brittany Moriarity hit a one-out double to left center field to get into scoring position. Two batters later, Jaqueline Kirkman hit Moriarity in on a single down the left field line.

The Bulldogs picked up their second run of the game in the top of the sixth inning when Carly Toth started the two-out rally with a walk. Heather Tanner then hit Toth in from first on a double to right field to give Adrian the 2-1 advantage.

With one away in the bottom of the seventh inning, Kirkman struck for her second hit of the game in a big way as she bounced a home run off of the top of the fence and over in left field to force extra innings.

After a scoreless eighth inning, the Bulldogs would break through for two runs. Katie Adams singled as the lead-off batter of the inning for the second time of the game. After a fly out and a sacrifice bunt to get Adams into scoring position, Kristen Toney came through in a big way as she hit her first career home run to left center field to lift the Bulldogs to the 4-2 lead.

Kelly Tomasek, who had pitched well all game, retired the Knights in order in the bottom half of the inning to secure her fifth win of the season. Through all nine innings of work, Tomasek gave up just three hits while striking out eight.

The Adrian College softball team (13-12, 5-3 MIAA) will take the rest of the week off from playing before a four doubleheader week next week. The next scheduled contests for the Bulldogs are a pair of MIAA games against Hope College on Monday, April 14 at the Adrian College softball field.