GEORGETOWN, Ky. -- The Lawrence Technological (Mich.) University softball team swept the final day of the Georgetown/Lindenwood-Belleville Invitational, defeating Clarke (Iowa) University 7-0 and Lindenwood (Ill.) University - Belleville 3-0 in Georgetown, Ky.
Lawrence Tech (3-1) opened the day with a gem from Alexa Cherney (SO/Farmington Hills, Mich. ). Cherney pitched seven innings giving up two hits while striking out 10 with no walks. The pitching was superb on both sides as the Blue Devils got four of their hits in the final inning as they sprung for seven runs. Brittney Bult (SO/Brampton, Ontario) opened the inning with a single to rightfield as LTU loaded the bases with their first three hitters. Alina Molette (SO/Wyoming, Mich.) put the ball in play, scoring a pair of runs on a Clarke error at shortstop to give LTU a 2-0 lead.
Lawrence Tech added a third run when Madison Solecki (JR/Romeo, Mich.) scored on error off the bat of Meredith Adams (SO/Portage, Mich. ) to push the lead to 3-0. Dana Bigham (SO/Jackson, Mich.) followed with an RBI single to give LTU a 4-0 lead. Andra Malburg (FR/Maineville, Ohio) hit herfirst career home run, a three-run shot to center, plating Adams and Bigham to extend the lead to 7-0.
Bult finished the game 3-for-4 with one run while Bigham went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Cherney earned her first shutout of the season with the complete game gem.
In the second game of the day, Lawrence Tech took the early 1-0 off a sacrifice fly from Bigham scored Molette. The Blue Devils added a run in the second inning as Katie Cyster (FR/Wyandotte, Mich.) reached on an error, scoring Alex Amos (SO/Corona, Calif.) to make it 2-0.
Sydney Coe (FR/Napoleon, Mich.) started in the circle for the Blue Devils and earned the win with strong 4.1 innings pitched. Coe allowed no runs on seven hits with three strikeouts in her first collegiate start. Sydney Schultz (SO/Commerce Twp, Mich.) earned the save, going 2.2 innings with a pair of strikeouts and one hit allowed.
The Blue Devils added a run in the sixth inning on a Brittany Wieland (FR/Alexandria, Va.) RBI single to give LTU the 3-0 lead. Schultz faced four batters in the bottom of the seventh, inducing a ground ball and getting Amanda Velasquez to strike out before Anastasia Villanueva lined out to the shortstop to end the game.
Wieland finished the game 1-for-4 with and RBI while Malburg went 1-for-1 with two walks. Amos and Molette each had a double while Jackie Mattingly (SO/Chino Hills, Calif.), Malburg and Molette (2) recorded at least one stolen base. The Blue Devils did leave seven on base and committed one error.
Lawrence Tech is back on the field for a doubleheader on Sunday, March 4 at Martin Methodist (Tenn.) College in Pulaski, Tenn. starting at 1 p.m.
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