DETROIT, Mich. -- The Lawrence Technological (Mich.) University softball team split their doubleheader with University of Michigan - Dearborn, losing the opener 7-4 and taking game two 5-1 in Detroit, Mich. on Saturday afternoon.
Lawrence Tech (15-13, 8-8) opened game two with an early run in the second inning, giving Alexa Cherney (SO/Farmington Hills, Mich. ) a 1-0 lead in the circle. Cherney gave up just one hit through the first four innings as Lawrence Tech took a 5-0 lead in the top of the fifth. Brittney Bult (SO/Brampton, Ontario) opened the scoring with a bases loaded double, clearing the bases to give the Blue Devils a 3-1 lead. Dana Bigham (SO/Jackson, Mich.)'s RBI single scored Bult to make it 5-0.
UM-Dearborn (14-12, 6-6) finally got on the board in the sixth inning, but was limited to just one run as Cherney got out of a jam with a ground out and a fly out. She put the side down in order in the bottom of the seventh to secure the split.
Cherney finished the game giving up one run on four hits with five strikeouts and no walks. Bult went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored while Bigham went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Adams led the way, going 3-for-3 with a run scored and and a walk.
In game one, Lawrence Tech trailed 5-0 after the first inning as the Wolverines scored off a pair of homeruns and an RBI single. The Wolverines added a run in the bottom of the third to take a 6-0 lead before the Blue Devils made got on the board in the fourth inning. Andra Malburg (FR/Maineville, Ohio) scored Bult to make it a 6-1 game, but UM-Dearborn retook the six run lead with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth.
The Blue Devils continued the comeback effort in the top of the fifth inning as they scored three runs to cut the lead to 7-4. Meredith Adams (SO/Portage, Mich. ) RBI double scored Katie Cyster (FR/Wyandotte, Mich.) followed by Bults ground out plating Bailey Brown (SO/Mt. Pleasant, Mich.) to make it 7-3. Bigham put the game within three runs with an RBI double to right field to score Adams.
Bult started the game in the circle, but went just a third of an inning, giving up five runs on four hits. Sydney Coe (FR/Napoleon, Mich.) went 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with a career high 10 strikeouts. Adams finished the game 1-for-3 with an RBI double and a run scored while Brown and Bigham both went 1-for-2 with a double.
Lawrence Tech is back in action Sunday, April 22 when the Blue Devils travel to Lourdes (Ohio) University for a pair of games in Toledo, Ohio. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
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