Lakers Suffer Heartbreak In CCAC Opener

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – Roosevelt fell victim to a late inning-rally in a 7-6 loss to open up Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play Wednesday against Olivet Nazarene in Bourbonnais.

Kate Sisson was in cruise control for the first five innings against the Tigers, limiting them to just two hits while the Lakers (8-7, 0-1 CCAC) built a 4-0 lead. An error and a fielder's choice allowed Samantha Norman and Scout Kram to reach base in the top of the third before Emily Zuniga executed the sacrifice bunt to put them into scoring position. Anaisa Lozada did the rest with a single up the middle to drive in the game's first run.

In the fourth inning, Emma Wokurka slapped a single to left field to bring home Brynn Dvoracek, who led off the inning with a single. The Lakers doubled the lead to 4-0 in the sixth inning on Norman's two-run single that scored Wokurka, who re-entered as a runner after Madison Sullivan's pinch-hit single, and Bailee Reynolds, who had doubled earlier in the frame. In all three of the innings in which Roosevelt scored, it also left at least one runner in scoring position.

Sisson finally ran into trouble in the sixth inning when back-to-back one-out doubles brough Olivet Nazarene's first run across. After a strikeout for the second out of the frame, an error kept the inning going and allowed a second run to score. Consecutive hits eventually tied the game, though, the Lakers were able to record the final out on the base paths immediately after the tying run scored.

Undeterred by the Tigers tying the game, the Lakers reclaimed the lead in the top of the seventh with a pair of runs. Lozada began the inning with a single into right field then advanced to second on a passed ball. That set the stage for Athena Pomele-Pen, who ripped a triple into the right field corner, then scored on Dvoracek's grounder back to the pitcher. Roosevelt loaded the bases with two outs courtesy of Kirstin Fudge and Norman singling around a Tigers error, but the Lakers couldn't cash in on the opportunity.

Norman came into the circle in relief of Sisson looking for a save and immediately found trouble with the first two batters of the frame reaching base. A flyout to left field brought the Lakers closer to a win, but Olivet Nazarene doubled to cut the deficit to one then hit a single up the middle to tie the game. With the bases loaded, Norman missed with her 3-2 pitch on the inside corner and the Tigers earned a walk-off win with a walk.

Roosevelt had a chance to salvage a split in the second game of the doubleheader, but the contest was postponed in the bottom of the fifth inning with Olivet Nazarene leading 5-4. Pomele-Pen smashed a double to score a pair of runs in the first inning and Reynolds delivered a two-run double in the third for the Lakers. The Tigers responded with three runs in the third and two in the fourth to take the lead.

A makeup date for the completion of the second game has not been announced. The Lakers are scheduled to make their debut at The Ballpark at Rosemont on Friday at 3 p.m. with a doubleheader against Judson. Stay tuned to RooseveltLakers.com and @RooseveltLakers on Twitter for any weather-related changes to the schedule.