LIVONIA, Mich. -- The Lawrence Technological (Mich.) University softball team swept the Indiana Tech Warriors 6-1 and 9-6 on Sunday, April 8 in Livonia, Mich. Alexa Cherney (SO/Farmington Hills, Mich. ) threw 12 strikeouts for the win in game one and the bats came alive in game two as Bailey Brown (SO/Mt. Pleasant, Mich.) hits a grand slam to give Lawrence Tech the lead for good in the second inning.
Lawrence Tech (10-8, 3-3) started game two in a 3-0 hole, but Bailey Brown changed that with one swing of the bat, crushing a grand slam in the bottom of the second to give Lawrence Tech a 4-3 lead. It was her second homerun on the day as she hit a solo shot in the first game. The Blue Devils added four more runs in the bottom of the third inning to make it 8-3. Jackie Mattingly (SO/Chino Hills, Calif.) reached base on an error by the shortstop as she threw it wide of first base, clearing the bases for three runs. Brown added her fifth RBI of the game with an RBI bunt.
Brittney Bult (SO/Brampton, Ontario) started in the circle, but a pair of unearned runs to start the game put Lawrence Tech down two runs. Bult got into trouble in the second inning, loading the bases after and RBI single made it 8-4. Schultz relieved Bult after the walk and got Sierra to hit into a fielder's choice, ending the inning. Schultz went three-and-a-third inning, giving up two runs - one earned to earn the win for Lawrence Tech. Alexa Cherney closed the game, going two innings with three strikeouts and a run allowed.
The Blue Devils opened the first game with a 2-0 lead as Meredith Adams (SO/Portage, Mich. ) scored Brittany Wieland (FR/Alexandria, Va.) to give LTU an early one run lead. Brittney Bult put the Blue Devils up 2-0 on and RBI single to score Katie Cyster (FR/Wyandotte, Mich.).
The early lead was all Cherney needed as she struck out the side swinging in the first inning. She put the Warriors down in order in the the second inning with a pair of pop-ups including her fourth strikeout of the game. Lawrence Tech made it 3-0 off a throwing error from the Warriors catcher, scoring Jackie Mattingly followed by Cyster's RBI single scored Cherilyn Banas (JR/Oxford, Mich.) to give Lawrence Tech a four run lead.
Cherney struck out her fifth and sixth batter of the game in the third inning followed by two more strikeouts in the fourth inning. Bailey Brown gave the Blue Devils a 5-0 lead and Banas, after stealing second, scored off an Adam RBI double to centerfield to score their sixth run of the game. Cherney held on in the final two innings to get her fifth win of the season. She finished the game with 12 strikeouts, no walks, and just four hits while allowing one run.
Brown finished the day 3-for-4 with a pair of homeruns and six RBIs. Katie Cyster went 4-for-8 with two runs and an RBI. Adams finished with two doubles while Cyster and Cherylin Banas combined for five stolen bases. Banas also went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Lawrence Tech is back on the field Wednesday, April 11 when they travel to Aquinas (Mich.) College. First pitch of game one is set for 3:30 p.m.
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