HAMMOND, Ind. – Roosevelt suffered two heartbreaking extra-inning defeats Sunday against Purdue Northwest in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader in Indiana.
The Lakers started the weekend strong with a 1-0 win over Grand Valley State on Saturday on the road before dropping the second half of the doubleheader 11-3 to the hosts. Roosevelt led late in both contests against the Pride on Sunday, but dropped the first game 9-8 in eight innings before falling 7-6 in 10 innings.
PURDUE NORTHWEST 9, ROOSEVELT 8
The Lakers (10-30, 4-16 GLIAC) spotted the Pride a 3-0 lead after the first inning before taking over the middle frames. Ava Kaspar smashed a home run in the second inning then Roosevelt added four more runs in an explosive third inning and tacked on another two runs in the fourth.
Caitlin Williams reached on an error to begin the third and Ella Dvoracek followed with a bunt single. Kendall Pearson scored Williams with a single up the middle and her and Dvoracek both moved up 60 feet on the throw to the plate. Sophia Barofsky gave the Lakers the lead with a double that plated two runs and a passed ball eventually allowed Barofsky to score as well.
Dvoracek and Williams both drew walks to start the fourth and Rebecca Urbaniak uncorked a double down the left-field line to score them both. Purdue Northwest clawed back to within one, but the top of the lineup came through again in the sixth inning with Barofsky sending a single back up the middle to score Williams.
The Pride would go on to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth then win the game on a walk-off infield single with two outs in the eighth. Dvoracek finished 3 for 4 with two runs scored and Barofsky went 3 for 5 with three RBI as well.
PURDUE NORTHWEST 7, ROOSEVELT 6
Roosevelt started off strong with runs in each of its first four plate appearances to build up a 6-1 advantage. After Dvoracek opened the game with a walk, she made her way around the bases for Urbaniak to drive her in with a single. Two more singles from Barofsky and Kaspar set the table for Libby Kreykes, who drew the bases-loaded walk to put the Lakers up 2-0.
In the second inning, Pearson delivered a two-out single and Urbaniak followed with an RBI double into right field. Barofsky continued the fun with a single up the middle that brought home Urbaniak from second. Williams drove in a run in the third with an infield single then Kaspar made it 6-1 with a run-scoring single into left field.
Kailey Hancock was cruising for most of the first five innings, allowing just two runs while keeping the Pride out of scoring position. However, Purdue Northwest led off the sixth with a homer then scored a pair of two-out runs after a Roosevelt error to cut the deficit to one.
The Lakers had their chance to close out the game in the seventh, but an error to lead off the frame allowed the runner to reach second. Hancock then stranded a pair of Pride runners on the base paths to force extra innings.
Catie Luzzi worked around a two-out single in the eighth inning after coming on in relief to set up Roosevelt for its best chance of the day. Cassidy Sullivan reached on an error then Williams drew a walk and Dvoracek singled to load up the bases with one out. However, the Lakers were unable to convert on the chance and Luzzi again worked around a two-out single to force a 10th inning.
With a runner placed on second to begin the inning, Roosevelt quickly moved the runner over to third, but she remained 60 feet away. The Pride dropped down a successful sacrifice bunt then picked up a single up the middle to end the game. Â
ROOSEVELT 1, GRAND VALLEY STATE 0
Roosevelt scored a run on a pair of GVSU errors in the first inning and Riley Czarnecki made it hold up. Czarnecki set down Grand Valley State in order in the first inning then stranded the bases loaded after three walks in the second. The sophomore right-hander allowed just two hits and stranded 11 Grand Valley State base runners to earn the complete-game victory.
Pearson reached originally on an error in the first inning then stole second base before Kennedy Calderon walked. Another error allowed Barofsky reached and Pearson hustled around the bases to score from second. Barofsky was the only other base runner to reach third for the Lakers, doing so in the fourth after leading off with a single.
GRAND VALLEY STATE 11, ROOSEVELT 3
GVSU scored a run on a Roosevelt error in the first then exploded for five more in the second to run away with the game. The visiting Lakers managed seven hits in the game, including an RBI single from Barofsky in the third.
In the fourth, Cassidy Sullivan replaced Kaspar at first on a fielder's choice then Caitlin Williams walked followed by a Dvoracek single. Pearson sent a single through the left side then Rebecca Urbaniak reached on an error to cut the deficit to four runs. GVSU then scored three unearned runs in the fifth to walk off the run-rule victory.
UP NEXT: The Lakers stay on the road next weekend with doubleheaders at Davenport and Ferris State.
