Lakers Knock Off Crusaders To Earn Road Split

LIVONIA, Mich. – Roosevelt rallied with its back against the wall to earn an upset over Madonna in a split of a doubleheader Friday afternoon in Livonia, Mich.

The Lakers (5-13) came back to win the opening game 5-2 in eight innings before the Crusaders, who were receiving votes in the latest coaches poll, used a big inning to beat Roosevelt 11-3 in five innings.

The Lakers entered the top of the seventh inning trailing 2-0 and Brynn Dvoracek immediately launched a double into the gap in right center field. A tricky fielder's choice put runners on the corners and Isabella Walton laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move the tying run into scoring position. After a groundout, Ella Dvoracek slapped a high-bouncing grounder that she beat out for an RBI then Anaisa Lozada smacked a single through the right side to tie the game.

Samantha Norman came on to pitch the bottom of the seventh and struck out two batters while working around a pair of singles to force extra innings. Bailee Reynolds led off the eighth inning with a double into the same right-field gap then Brynn Dvoracek hustled out a single to put runners on the corner. Dvoracek moved up 60 feet on a wild pitch, and Walton delivered with a clutch two-run single up the middle to give the Lakers the lead. A throwing error from the pitcher on a surprise bunt from Lozada brought home the fifth run.

Roosevelt finished with 10 hits in the opener against Madonna's ace despite also striking out 15 times. The Dvoracek sisters were the only two Lakers to have multiple hits in the game, but eight of the nine starters ended up with at least one hit in the contest. Kate Sisson pitched the first six innings and struck out five while allowing five hits and two runs before Norman earned the win with three strikeouts in two innings of relief.

There was no avoiding the big inning in the back half of the doubleheader as Madonna put up six runs in the second inning to pull away from the Lakers. Kailey Hancock earned the start and was unlucky to be down 1-0 after the first inning after mostly navigating around a leadoff single. The freshman settled down in the third inning to keep the deficit at 7-0 before Nicole Reynolds took over in the fourth.

The Lakers sparked some life in the top of the fifth inning with the top of the lineup doing some damage against the Crusaders. Scout Kram hit a single into left field then advanced to second on a funny bounce before moving to third base on a groundout. Trinity Kelly walked to put runners on the corners and Emily Zuniga slapped a single into left field to score Kram before Athena Pomele-Pen followed with a two-run single to cut the deficit to 7-3.

Reynolds nearly extended the game into a sixth inning after trading two runs for two outs, but a triple into the corner in right field and an error in the field brought home the winning runs for the Crusaders. The Lakers did work five walks in the second game to match their five hits, but did allow two unearned runs to score in the loss.

The Lakers begin Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play on March 27 at home against St. Ambrose with a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. in Rosemont.