May 3, 2008

Box Score vs. Northwood
Box Score vs. Ashland

Midland, Mich. - The Mercyhurst softball team overcame a four-run deficit against Northwood to defeat the Timberwolves 6-5 in 10 innings in the GLIAC Tournament Saturday but lost to Ashland 2-1 and was eliminated from the double-elimination tournament.

The Lakers entered the tournament as the No. 7 seed and lost to Ferris State 3-1 in the first round Friday. Mercyhurst and No. 6 seed Northwood were scheduled to play Friday afternoon but the game was suspended due to rain with the Timberwolves holding a 4-1 lead in the third.

Northwood scored all four runs in the bottom of the first inning off of Laker ace Carrina Crow but Amanda Norman came in with two outs in the bottom of the first and baffled the Timberwolves over the course of the next 9 1/3 innings. She gave up seven hits and three walks but only allowed one unearned run in the 10th after international tie-break rules place a runner on second base to start each inning beginning in the 10th.

Mercyhurst chipped away at the 4-0 deficit as Danielle Zubek had an RBI double in the second before rain postponed play Friday. When the teams returned to action Saturday morning, Norman quickly set down the Timberwolves and then the Laker bats went to work.

Amber Rapose hit a two-run homer in the top of the fourth after Michelle Schmitz had singled to make it 4-3. Erin Ratajczak followed with a single and Zubek doubled her home for another RBI to tie the game.

The game remained tied at 4-4 until the 10th when the international tie-break rule went into effect. Schmitz was placed on second and Rapose walked. After a fielder's choice forced Schmitz out, Zubek singled to load the bases. Anna Glomb had a pinch hit fielder's choice that scored a run and Kara Gorgos followed with an RBI ground out that gave Mercyhurst a 6-4 lead.

In the bottom of the 10th, Northwood scored one run on Jamie Swick's RBI single but Norman got Michelle Boscola to fly out to end the game.

Zubek went 3-for-4 in the game with two RBI and Schmitz added two hits.

In the second game of the day, both Mercyhurst and No. 4 seed Ashland were facing elimination. Ashland scratched out a run in the second on Ashley Barczok's RBI double and built a 2-0 lead in the fourth on a throwing error.

Mercyhurst battled back in the sixth as Elizabeth Maier had a lead-off single. Following a fielder's choice, Jessica McNurlen reached second on a passed ball and Megan Houston was hit by a pitch. Schmitz popped out for the second out of the inning but Rapose walked to load the bases. Erica Beidler added a pinch-hit walk to push a run across but Zubek fouled out to the catcher to end the threat.

Ashland's Shannon Gray allowed only five hits over seven innings and walked two batters. Norman pitched the first 3 2/3 innings, giving up three hits and one earned run. Crow came in and allowed just one hit and one walk over the final 2 1/3 innings.

Mercyhurst's season comes to an end with a record of 25-30. The Lakers broke the school record for wins in a season, set a year ago when the team went 23-23.