HOWELL, Mich. – The Lawrence Technological University softball team came back from a 6-0 hole after the first inning to defeat the Cleary University Cougars 11-7 on Sunday.
How It Happened:
- Cleary opened the game with four straight hits to help take a 6-0 lead after one.
- A Cougars' RBI single added another run in the second.
- LTU started to chip away with a Morgan James 2-run shot to center in the third, her third of the season.
- After a Lauren Lanphear double put the runners on second and third, Lawler would score via an error by the left fielder off the bat of Lily Morrissette.
- Larissa Mercado stepped up next and brought Lanphear home with a single to make it a 7-4 Cleary lead.
- LTU used some small ball as well in the frame as Erin Wehler successfully executed a safety squeeze to cut the deficit to two, 7-5 after 2 ½.
- After Grace Schriber worked around a two-out walk, Sarah Hige's infield single to begin the fourth kept the pressure on the Cougars.
- With one out, Hige stole second but it didn't end up mattering as James launched her second jack of the game, again to center field, to tie the game at 7-7.
- Schriber worked around a one-out double in the fourth to throw up another zero before both times were quiet in the fifth.
- Chloe Carpenter led off the sixth with a single in front of Hige's walk. Callie Tatum laid down a sacrifice bunt to set up Mazie Lawler to bring home Carpenter on a single to center.
- Lanphear followed by making a productive out to plate Hige and put LTU up two, 9-7.
- Cleary was unable to capitalize on a leadoff double in the sixth before James added her fifth and sixth RBIs of the game in the seventh to give LTU some insurance runs on its way to an 11-7 win.
Inside the Numbers;
- Schriber came on in relief to start the second and gave the LTU bats a chance to catch up as she earned her first career win; 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 2 Ks
- Hige: 4-for-4 3 R, BB
- Tatum: 2-for-4 2 R
- James: 3-for-4 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 R
- That 1-2-3 for LTU combined to go 9-for-12 with seven runs scored
Game two of the doubleheader was suspended due to rain in the third and will be made up if necessary to qualify for WHAC Tournament.
Lawrence Tech heads to Siena Heights on Tuesday for a 3:30 pm doubleheader.
