COLUMBUS, Ga. -- The Lawrence Technological (Mich.) University softball team finished the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Leadoff Classic with a 1-3 record. The Blue Devils defeated Lindenwood (Ill.) University - Belleville 3-1, but fell to No. 8 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) College 4-3, No. 12 Campbellsville (Ky.) University 7-0, and No. 7 Georgia Gwinnett College 12-1.
Lawrence Tech (7-5) closed the classic with a night game against Lindenwood in the South Common Stadium. The Lynx jumped out to a 1-0 lead after the first inning, but Lawrence Tech's Alexa Cherney (SO/Farmington Hills, Mich. ) settled in and breezed through the second and third innings allowing just one base runner and striking out four.
The Blue Devils had runners on first and second with no outs in the top of the fourth, but a pickoff and a flyout end the inning. Cherney got out of trouble in the fourth inning as the Lynx had runners on second and third with no outs, but two strikeouts and a flyout ended the inning.
Lawrence Tech's offense got going in the fifth inning as Jackie Mattingly (SO/Chino Hills, Calif.) scored a pair of runs on a hard grounder to leftfield to give the Blue Devils a 2-1 lead.
Lawrence Tech faced just one over the minimum in the fifth and sixth inning and added a run in the seventh inning to take a 3-1 lead with the two outs and the bases loaded. Brittney Wieland scored when Meredith Adams (SO/Portage, Mich. ) was hit by a pitch. Lindenwood got out of the inning with a strikeout.
Cherney finished the game, taking the side in order to preserve her second win of the season with nine strikeouts while giving up just one run on seven hits. Bult finished the game 2-for-3 from the plate with one RBI while Wieland went 1-for-2 with two runs scored and was hit by a pitch. Adams went 1-for-2 with two walks followed by Mattingly with one hit and two RBIs.
Lawrence Tech opened the day with Georgia Gwinnett. The Blue Devils trailed early, as the Grizzlies took a 1-0 lead following an Anya Vandersip RBI single in the top of the second. The Blue Devils responded with a run in the bottom of the inning to tie it at 1-1. Brittany Wieland (FR/Alexandria, Va.) scored Alex Amos (SO/Corona, Calif.) on and RBI single to plate the lone Lawrence Tech run.
Georgia Gwinnett (17-1) exploded for 11 runs in the top of the third as Lawrence Tech had three errors in the inning. The Blue Devils held the Grizzlies to no runs over the next two innings, but the Blue Devils offense went down in order in the fourth and fifth inning to end the game 12-1.
Games from Friday:
Lawrence Tech opened the classic with Lindsey Wilson and fell behind 2-0 in the first inning, but responded with three runs in the third inning. Adams scored Cyster and Alina Molette (SO/Wyoming, Mich.) on single to leftfield to tie the game at 2-2. Andra Malburg (FR/Maineville, Ohio) doubled to center to score Adams and give Lawrence Tech a 3-2 lead.
Cherney started the game for the Blue Devils and after a two run first innings, Cherney shut the Blue Raiders offense down for four innings as she struckout seven hitters to preserve the Lawrence Tech lead.
Lindsey Wilson tied the game in the sixth inning and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh on a Lawrence Tech error, taking the contest 4-3.
In game two, the Blue Devils were blanked by Campbellsville 7-1. Alex Amos scored Gina Barber (FR/Canton, Mich.) on an RBI single to centerfield. Lawrence Tech opened the game with Sydney Schultz (SO/Commerce Twp, Mich.) in the circle. Schultz went 1.2 innings with three strikeouts, but allowed four hits for two runs. Brittney Bult (SO/Brampton, Ontario) relieved Schultz in the second inning and gave up five runs on five hits in 2.2 innings pitched. Bult recorded two strikeouts and faced 12 batters, throwing 46 pitches. Malburg finished the game 2-for-3 while Barber scored a run pinch-running for Dana Bigham (SO/Jackson, Mich.). Bigham went 1-for-3 with three putouts.
Lawrence Tech is back in action on March 16th at 11 a.m. in Wixom, Mich. against Oakland Community (Mich.) College. The game will be played inside at Wixom Total Sports Facility.
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