GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Lawrence Technological (Mich.) University softball team split at Aquinas (Mich.) College 12-4 (6 inn.) and 6-1 on Wednesday afternoon in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Lawrence Tech (11-9, 4-4) held Aquinas scoreless through the first five innings as Brittney Bult (SO/Brampton, Ontario) cruised through the first two innings, getting six straight outs. The Blue Devils opened the scoring in the fifth inning as Andra Malburg (FR/Maineville, Ohio) doubled to right center to score Bailey Brown (SO/Mt. Pleasant, Mich.) and give the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead. Brittany Wieland (FR/Alexandria, Va.) followed two batters later with an RBI double to make it 2-0. The Blue Devils added one more run in the fifth inning off an RBI from Katie Cyster (FR/Wyandotte, Mich.) to go up three runs on the Saints.
Bult got through fifth inning facing just one over the minimum to hold onto the 3-0 lead. Lawrence Tech added a run in the sixth inning off a Malburg RBI double to left center, her second RBI of the game. The Saints loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but Bult was able to get Aquinas to ground into a double play to limit the scoring to just one run. Bult got the Saints to fly out to end the inning.
Cherilyn Banas (JR/Oxford, Mich.) opened the seventh reaching on an error by Aquinas and scored off a Wieland RBI double, her second of the night. Bult gave herself a five run lead with a sacrifice fly to score Wieland and make it 6-1 heading into the final half inning. Bult gave up a leadoff single, but got the next two out with a strikeout and a flyout. Aquinas got the next batter on, giving them runners on first and second, but Bult induced a flyout to end the game.
Wieland went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored while Malburg added a pair of RBIs, going 2-for-3 at the plate. Brown was 1-for-1 with two runs scored and two walks. Bult earned the win, going the full seven innings allowing one run on nine hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
In the first game of the day, Lawrence Tech took a 2-0 lead in the third inning as Alexa Cherney (SO/Farmington Hills, Mich. ) struck out two and gave up two hits over the first two innings. Aquinas responded with five runs in the bottom of the third. The Saints opened the scoring with a solo homerun to right center and followed with a two-run shot one batter later to take the 3-2 lead. Bowen doubled in a pair of runs for the Saints to take the 5-2 lead.
Aquinas added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth off an two RBI double to go up five runs after four innings. Lawrence Tech scored in each of the next two innings to make it 7-4 as Cyster got her second RBI of the day to score Wieland in the fifth inning. Brown made it a three-run game with an RBI double.
The Saints answered in the bottom of the sixth with five runs to end the game 12-4. Wieland finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a pair of runs while Brown went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk. Cherney went 2.2 innings, giving up six runs - five earned - on eight hits. She finished with four strikeouts and three walks. Sydney Schultz (SO/Commerce Twp, Mich.) went three innings in relief, giving up six runs on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
Lawrence Tech is back in action Friday, April 13 when they head to Adrian, Mich. for a pair of games starting at 3:30 at Siena Heights (Mich.) University.
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