Lozada's Walk Off Lifts Lakers To Split With Cougars

CHICAGO – Anaisa Lozada poked a single through the middle for a walk-off win as Roosevelt earned its first win over Saint Xavier in more than six years Thursday as part of splitting a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader in Chicago.

The doubleheader was originally scheduled to be a home doubleheader for the Lakers, but extenuating circumstances forced the two games to be moved to Saint Xavier's home field with Roosevelt staying as the home team. The Lakers (12-16, 7-3 CCAC) claimed the win in the opening game 2-1 in a game befitting two of the best pitchers in the CCAC. The Cougars took the second game 12-4 in five innings in a contest that featured several changes in momentum.

Saint Xavier used some small ball to take a 1-0 lead off Samantha Norman in the top of the first inning of the opener. However, Roosevelt was quick to respond with its own speed on the base paths. Scout Kram reached when the first baseman dropped a throw from third base then moved up to second on a grounder to the shortstop. Bailee Reynolds delivered the Lakers' first hit of the game with an RBI single to left field, advancing to second on the throw home to try and nab Kram.

The Cougars loaded the bases in the second with walks, but Norman navigated out of the trouble by inducing a fly ball to Kram in center. The only other serious trouble Norman faced came in the sixth inning when a two-out double was stranded at second on a comebacker to the circle. For the first time all year, Norman had more walks than strikeouts, but still allowed just five hits in a complete-game victory.

Roosevelt's offense was unable to get anything going after tying the game with Saint Xavier able to retire 16 straight batters. That all changed with Athena Pomele-Pen, who took the first pitch she saw in the seventh inning and deposited it into the gap in right centerfield for a leadoff double. Reynolds sent a long fly to right field that allowed Pomele-Pen to move up 60 feet, setting the stage for Lozada. The shortstop battled the entire at-bat before finding the gap up the middle with a groundball that gave the Lakers the walk-off win.

Kate Sisson found herself in early trouble of the second game after a Cougars three-run homer in the first inning. The Cougars then added on a fourth run in the second inning before the fifth-year settled into her groove. She navigated the third without much issue, and that seemed to turn the tide in Roosevelt's favor.

The Lakers' bats took over in the bottom of the third after leaving a runner on third in the first two frames. Roosevelt actually had its first two hitters of the inning retired before Kram deposited her second hit of the game into left field. Pomele-Pen drew a walk to keep the inning alive for Reynolds, who battled the Cougars pitcher for a 12-pitch at-bat in her first plate appearance. The second time around, Reynolds made no mistake and launched her first career home run over the left-field wall to close the deficit to 4-3.

Yet the Lakers weren't done just yet as Lozada strode to the plate and rocketed her own home run over the left-field fence. It is the first time in Roosevelt history that the Lakers have hit back-to-back home runs as the two long bombs doubled the team's 2024 total in addition to tying the game.

There was one final turn of momentum that allowed the Cougars to pull away for the victory. In the top of the fourth inning, Saint Xavier loaded the bases on Sisson and the fifth-year pitcher induced a fly ball to Caitlin Williams in right field. The sophomore made the grab for the second out then fired home to Reynolds to catch the runner trying to score. Reynolds looked to apply the tag in time to stop Saint Xavier from scoring, but the umpire ruled the runner safe on the slide and the next batter hit a two-run single. Saint Xavier then added five runs in the fifth to solidify the run-rule as Roosevelt went down in order in the bottom of the fifth.

Lozada was 2 for 2 in the second game of the doubleheader and Kram also had two hits for the Lakers. Emily Zuniga  singled in the fourth inning for Roosevelt's other hit among the six it had in the game.

The Lakers are right back on the field Friday with a home doubleheader against Indiana South Bend at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont. The twinbill will begin at 3 p.m. and Roosevelt will honor its 2024 senior class between games of the doubleheader.