ROSEMONT –
Brynn Dvoracek was 6 for 7 with a pair of run-scoring doubles to lead Roosevelt to a Friday split of its games at Flyer Invitational the Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont.
The Lakers (3-3) started the day with a 4-3 win over Upper Iowa behind Dvoracek's two doubles. Roosevelt then fell 8-2 to Bemidji State with the Beavers capitalizing on errors to pull away late.
ROOSEVELT 4, UPPER IOWA 3
Dvoracek started the day on the right foot, blasting a double into right center field to score her sister Ella in the first inning of the Lakers' victory. The senior first baseman was back at it in the third inning, smacking a double to a nearly identical spot, this time plating two to give Roosevelt a 3-0 lead.
Bianca Gallegos singled up the middle to score Dvoracek later in the inning to make it 4-0 Lakers.
Riley Czarnecki took to the circle for her first career start and quickly shut down the Peacocks in the first two innings. The freshman ran into a bit of trouble in the third inning, but managed to limit the damage to two runs, only one of which was earned. Her most important play came in the sixth inning as Roosevelt clung to its lead.
An error and a walk put runners on first and second for Upper Iowa, then the Peacocks moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt. Czarnecki's next pitch slipped through
Libby Kreykes' legs and rolled to the backstop. The freshman catcher hurried after the passed ball and tossed it to an on-rushing Czarnecki to apply the tag on the runner trying to score.
Czarnecki pitched a near flawless seventh inning for her second college win – her first collegiate complete game. She finished allowing six hits and three runs, two of which were earned, and struck out a pair.
BEMIDJI STATE 8, ROOSEVELT 2
The Beavers jumped out to an early lead on the heels of Roosevelt's mistakes then put the game away in similar fashion. Bemidji State scored three runs in the first inning, the first of which came on a throwing error that allowed a runner from third to score.
Roosevelt had its chances to score early in the contest, putting runners in scoring position in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings. Yet the Lakers managed just one run in those innings, an RBI single from
Athena Pomele-Pen in the third inning.
Another throwing error from the Lakers allowed a runner to reach in the fourth inning and eventually score. But the wheels came off for Roosevelt in the sixth when Bemidji again scored three runs in a rally started by a Roosevelt mistake.
Pomele-Pen tried to start a rally in the seventh inning with a double into the gap in left centerfield, but Roosevelt's only other hit in the frame was the RBI single from Gallegos. The Lakers finished with 11 hits in the game, but left 10 on base while making three errors and allowing three unearned runs.
UP NEXT: The Lakers return to the dome on Sunday for a pair of contests at the tournament. Roosevelt will face Hillsdale at 8 a.m. then will close out the event at 12:30 p.m. against Truman State.
