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 Freshman Lauren Warkentien blanked GVSU for 4.2 innings. |
May 7, 2006
Midland, Mich. - The Wayne State University softball squad (32-24) was edged 4-3 Saturday afternoon by Grand Valley State (34-19) in the championship game of the 2006 GLIAC tournament.
The Warriors had secured the GLIAC's automatic bid on Friday which is based 50% on the conference regular-season standings and 50% on the GLIAC tournament finishes.
WSU grabbed an early 2-0 lead as senior shortstop Sue Verbeem (LaSalle, Ont./Sandwich S.S.) walked leading off the bottom of the first. After a sacrifice bunt by junior Becky Quinn (Ortonville, Mich./Oakland Christian), Sarah Berry's (Acton, Ont.) double down the left field line on a 1-2 pitch scored Verbeem. Pinch-runner Sarah Teller (Chesterfield Twp., Mich./L'Anse Creuse North) advanced to third on a ground out and scored on a single up the middle by Lindsey Perry (Taylor, Mich./Kennedy).
GVSU scored four times in the top of the second with three of the runs being unearned. The Lakers rally began with a fly out and a single followed by two more singles and a sacrifice bunt. With WSU leading 2-1 and Grand Valley having runners on second and third with two outs, a Warrior fielding error allowed GVSU to tie the game. Following a walk, Kristin Moleski doubled in two more runs.
In the bottom of the third Verbeem had a leadoff single and advanced to second on a Quinn ground out. Teller's single off the pitcher moved Verbeem to third and she scored on a two-out single by Perry.
The Warriors left two runners on base in the third, three in the fifth, two in the sixth and one in the seventh as WSU went four-for-16 with runners on base in the contest.
Juinor Sarah Ytsma (Chatham, Ont./McGregor) started for the Warriors and pitched the first 2.1 innings allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks. Freshman Lauren Warkentien (East China, Mich./Marine City) tossed the final 4.2 innings and limited GVSU to one hit and one walk while recording six strikeouts.
Perry led the WSU eight-hit attack with two RBI singles.
Wayne State will find out its regional seed and where the NCAA Great Lakes Regional tournament will be played on Monday morning.
