DETROIT – Athena Pomele-Pen smashed a double in the seventh inning to help Roosevelt split its Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader on Saturday at Wayne State.

The senior had a pair of RBIs in the second game to give the Lakers (11-23, 5-11 GLIAC) some cushion in an eventual 6-2 victory. Roosevelt had a rally in the late innings of the opening game, but it fell just short in a 5-3 setback.

WAYNE STATE 5, ROOSEVELT 3
The Warriors jumped on the Lakers early to take a 5-0 lead after three innings, but they could not figure out Rebecca Urbaniak over the final three innings. The freshman kept
Wayne State to just two hits after coming on in relief to give Roosevelt a chance to mount its comeback.

Roosevelt's first hit didn't come until the sixth inning, but it opened up the floodgates for the Lakers. Wayne State was working on a no-hitter after retiring the first two batters of the sixth inning. Caitlin Williams drew a walk to become Roosevelt's first baserunner since Kendall Pearson reached on an error in the first.

Ella Dvoracek followed with a single down the left-field line and Pearson hit her own single into left field to load the bases. Pomele-Pen battled to earn a walk, bringing home the first run for the Lakers, before Brynn Dvoracek delivered a two-run single that put runners on second and third.

ROOSEVELT 6, WAYNE STATE 2
The Lakers built off the late momentum from the first game and took advantage early in the second game. Ella Dvoracek and Pearson hit back-to-back singles to lead off the game then Pomele-Pen reached on a sacrifice bunt attempt to load the bases. Urbaniak cleared the bases with a single off the wall in right field then advanced to second on the throw home.

Kailey Hancock kept the Warriors off balance all game, but was particularly effective early. She had three of her four strikeouts in the first two innings, including getting a swinging strikeout to end the second with runners on first and second. She stranded a one-out double on second in the third before setting down the Warriors in order in the fourth and fifth.

Wayne State got on the board with an unearned run in the sixth, but the Lakers made sure to give their sophomore a bigger cushion for the final three outs. Williams and Ella
Dvoracek led off the seventh with singles then moved up 60 feet on Pearson's sacrifice bunt. Pomele-Pen then delivered her second hit of the game with a double to score two runs. Brynn Dvoracek then brought home Pomele-Pen with a double of her own.

Hancock allowed a run in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out single before closing the door with a strikeout. It was Hancock's third complete game in nine starts in conference play, moving to 3-5 in those appearances against GLIAC foes.

UP NEXT: The Lakers finish their trip to Michigan on Sunday with a doubleheader at Saginaw Valley State starting at 11 a.m.