The Lakeland softball team finally played their first league games of the year - though it had to be switched to away due to this weeks weather. The Lakers traveled to Owens Community College today to face the league foe Owens Express and came away with a split. The Lakers lost game 1 by a score of 13-12 before bouncing back and taking the nightcap by a score of 18-8. Game 1 was a back and forth affair that the Lakers lost late. Lakeland jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning. Carmen Alvarez started the game with a leadoff home run. With 1 out, Emalee Harala and Abby Schneider hit back-to-back singles. Emerson Hren then hit a fielder's choice before Lauryn Hawkins hit an RBI-single. Leah Richter then walked before Gabby Moore hit a 2-RBI double. The Express took advantage of walks and an error to tie the score at 4 after 1 inning of play. Lakeland would score 2 more in the top of the 2nd inning to take a 6-4 lead. Carmen Alvarez had a lead off walk before a fielder's choice from Natalie Phillips. Harala followed with an RBI-double before Schneider hit an RBI-single. The Express answered by scoring 2 runs in both the 3rd and 4th inning to take an 8-6 lead. The Lakers made it a 1 run game by scoring in the top of the 6th inning. For the run, Carmen Alvarez worked a 1-out walk. Alvarez then stole 2nd base. Alvarez then attempted to steal 3rd base. While stealing, there was an error by the catcher allowing Alvarez to come all the way around and score. In the top of the 7th inning, Lakeland plated 5 runs to take a 12-8 lead. Lauryn Hawkins started things with a 1-out triple. Leah Richter followed with an RBI-single. Gabby Moore then tripled before she scored on an RBI sac bunt from Madison Ciammaichella, Later in the inning, Alvarez doubled and was followed by a Phillips walk. Both runners would score on a Emalee Harala RBI-double. Unfortunately for the Lakers, they were unable to hold the lead as some defensive miscues allowed the Express to take game 1.
Emalee Harala (2 doubles), Lauryn Hawkins (triple), and Abby Schneider each finished with 3 hits and an RBI. Gabby Moore (triple) recorded 2 hits and 4 RBI's while Carmen Alvarez had 2 hits (HR, 2B) and an RBI. Leah Richter added a hit and run scored in the defeat. Abby Schneider pitched 6 innings and was charged with 11 runs (4 earned) while striking out 2 batters. Leah Richter relieved with the bases loaded and no outs in the 7th as she took the loss allowing 3 runs in .2 innings.
In game 2, the Lakers took an early 1-0 lead in the 1st inning. Carmen Alvarez hit a leadoff single and then stole 2nd and 3rd base. Alvarez would then score on a fielder's choice from Natalie Phillips. Owens would jump on the Lakers in the home half to take a 4-1 lead before the Lakers knotted the score at 4 in the top of the 3rd inning. The inning started with a 1-out walk from Anna Farone followed by a single from Carmen Alvarez. Phillips then hit an RBI-single. Emalee Harala would later hit a fielder's choice. Abby Schneider then hit an RBI single scoring Phillips before Harala scored on a hit and Owens error from Emerson Hren. The Express answerd with 2 runs in the home half to take a 6-4 lead. The Lakers fought back in the top of the 4th inning by scoring 5 runs to take a 9-6 lead. With 1 out, Leah Richter and Anna Farone hit back-to-back singles. Alvarez then walked loading the bases. Natalie Phillips followed with a 2-RBI double. Emalee Harala then hit an RBI-single before Schneider singled again. Harala would later score on a sac-fly from Hren. Owens would answer with a run in the bottom of the 4th to make the score 9-7.
In the top of the 5th inning, Lakeland erupted for 5 more runs to take a 14-7 lead. Leah Richter and Gabby Moore singled to start the inning. Carmen Alvarez later smoked a 3-run homer to straight away center field. Natalie Phillips then singled before Abby Schneider hit an RBI-double. Schneider would later come around to score on an Emerson Hren double. The score held until the top of the 7th inning when the Lakers put the game away by scoring 4 more runs. Natalie Phillips started the inning with a triple and Emalee Harala would then reach on catcher's interference. Schneider and Hren would then hit consecutive RBI-singles. Leah Richter would follow with a single to load the bases before Gabby Moore worked an RBI-walk. Madison Ciammaichella drove in the final run with a fielder's choice. This time, the lead would hold as Leah Richter and the Lakers defense closed the door on the Express.
The Lakers banged out 15 hits and were led by Abby Schneider (4-5, double, 4 RBI's, 2 runs scored) and Emerson Hren (3-5, double, 4 RBI's, run scored). Carmen Alvarez had 2 hits (HR) while recording 3RBI's and 3 runs scored. Natalie Phillips also had 2 hits (3B), 3 RBI's, and scored 4 runs. Leah Richter added 2 hits and and scored 2 runs while Emalee Harala had a hit and RBI while scoring 3 runs. Anna Farone added a hit and scored 2 runs while Gabby Moore had a hit and RBI in the Lakers victory. On the mound, Leah Richter picked up the complete game victory allowing 8 runs (7 earned) in 7 innings.
Congratulations to Head Coach Nick Price for earning his 1st collegiate victory!
Next Up: The Lakers will continue their road trip tomorrow at Hocking College. Due to weather and field conditions, the game times have been moved back to a 2 pm start for the doubleheader.