Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The Malone University softball team (6-12, 0-8 GLIAC) was swept at home by the Lake Superior State (MI) University Lakers (4-5, 2-4 GLIAC) on Saturday afternoon.

Lake Superior State took game one 10-2 in five innings behind a strong pitching performance from Alyssa Boucher, who limited the Pioneers to just three hits in four innings. Malone jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning when freshman Emily Isla plated a pair with a single up the middle. However, that was all the offense Malone would muster the rest of the way.

The first four hitters in Lake Superior State's batting order proved lethal, combining to go 11-for-16 in the game. Senior Shelby Snyder (3-6) took the loss for Malone working 2 1/3 innings and giving up nine runs, eight earned on ten hits. Sophomore Stephanie Byrne was effective in relief, yielding just one run in two innings. Isla and freshmen Karissa Melgoza and Alexa Holztrager recorded the Malone hits.

The Lakers were first to draw blood in game two, getting on the board in the second when freshman Amy Donze walked in a run. The visitors would add two more in the third, another two in the fourth thanks to an Amanda Maxon two-run shot to right, and another in the fifth to take a 6-0 lead.

Malone would chip away, pulling one back in the bottom of the sixth when Donze's bouncer up the middle was misplayed by the pitcher to bring a home a run. A Holztrager line drive RBI single to right field in the last frame brought Malone within 6-2 before Lake Superior State ended the game by striking out Isla.

Isla was Malone's leading hitter going 2-for-4. Freshman Carly Holcomb also added a double.

Donze (1-6) went all seven innings in the circle, surrendering six earned runs on nine hits with 11 walks and two hit batters.

Malone will return to the diamond Tuesday, April 2nd when they host a doubleheader against cross-town rival Walsh University at 3:00 p.m.