April 4, 2008

Stats

ALBION, Mich. - The Adrian College softball team picked up their first two MIAA wins of the 2008 season as they swept a league doubleheader from Albion College on Friday night. It is the first Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association sweep for the Bulldogs since they swept Albion last season 11-3 and 15-9.

In game one, the Bulldogs scored in each of the first four innings of the game to set the pace early at Dempsey Field. After safely reaching on a bunt single, Carmen Batway later scored the first run of the game on an Albion error to put the Bulldogs up 1-0. In the bottom half of the opening frame, the Britons would get their only hit of the game with two outs when Jessica Strange singled up the middle.

Carly Toth walked to start off the top of the second inning. After advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt and a single, Toth scored on a Krissy Sheets infield single, pushing the Adrian lead to 2-0.

In the third and fourth innings, the Bulldogs erupted for six runs on six hits to gain the 8-0 lead. Holly Lowe started things off for Adrian in the top of the third with a single to center field. Two batters later, Meghan Stevens hit her second home run in three days to plate the third and fourth runs of the game for the Bulldogs.

In the fourth inning, the Bulldog offense kept clicking as Adrian hit through the line up in the top half of the frame. Katie Adams led off the inning with a single up the middle. Krissy Sheets followed up the Adams single with a walk. With runners on second and third after a Batway sacrifice, Holly Lowe hit her first career home run to right field to increase the Bulldogs' lead to seven runs. Jenna Kloster doubled to right center to keep the offense going. She would later score the Bulldogs' final run on a wild pitch to give Adrian the 8-0 win in five innings.

Andrea Vangoss evened her record at 5-5 by throwing the five inning shut-out victory. Vangoss gave up just one hit while walking three and striking out one.

In the nightcap, the Britons were the ones to strike first as Marissa Bell scored in the top of the first to give Albion the 1-0 lead after the first half-inning.

The game would remain 1-0 until the bottom of the third inning when the Bulldogs plated four runs to take a 4-1 lead. Kristen Toney led off the inning with a double to left center field. Katie Adams followed up by reaching on an error by the pitcher to give Adrian runners at the corners. Adams stole second to put two Bulldogs into scoring position. Two batters later, Carmen Batway hit a double off of the left field wall that would score Toney. Holly Lowe was hit by a pitch to load the bases again for the Bulldogs. Jenna Kloster responded by hitting a sacrifice fly to center field that allowed Adams to score from third. With two away in the inning, Meghan Stevens picked up two more RBIs on the day on a single to left field.

The Britons, down to their final three outs, made a comeback in the top of the seventh inning. Morgan Barnes reached first on an error to start the inning for Albion. The Britons then put two runners in scoring position when Marissa Bell doubled to right center field. Albion would then plate runs in consecutive at-bats on a sacrifice fly and a single to center field. The Bulldogs went on a defensive stand for the number four and five hitters in the Albion line-up as the Britons popped up to the shortstop and grounded out to second base to end the game.

Kelly Tomasek picked up the win on the mound for the Bulldogs by going seven complete innings. She struck out five and scattered eight hits in the victory.

The Bulldogs (8-11, 2-2 MIAA) will take to the road again tomorrow afternoon when they travel to Olivet, Michigan to take on the Olivet College Comets. Tomorrow's doubleheader has been moved to Olivet High School due to wet field conditions at the College's softball field. Game one is set to begin at 1:00 p.m.