The Malone University softball team lost its first Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) game of the season to Grand Valley State University (MI) at home on Saturday afternoon by the final score of 12-9. Game 2 was postponed due to the cold weather. The makeup date has yet to be determined.
The Pioneers will return to the field on Sunday, March 29
th at noon to host conference opponent Ferris State University (MI).
Game 1Grand Valley State took command early on in the game, leading 9-0 at the conclusion of the top of the fourth inning.
Malone's
Stephanie Byrne would get the momentum started for the Pioneers by hitting a double to left field to bring
Emily Isla across the plate. The runs would continue in the fourth inning for Malone as leftfielder
Marionna Cane ripped a two-run single, scoring Byrne and
Allison Mercado. The score would be 9-3 at the end of the fourth inning.
The Lakers would then score two more runs in the top of the fifth inning to increase their lead to 11-3.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth inning, Byrne would get the hit by pitch to send
Emily Beck across the plate. Cane then hit a strong three-run double to centerfield to bring Byrne,
Ashley Beck and Isla in, cutting the deficit to 11-7 at the end of the fifth inning.
Malone held the visitors from scoring in the sixth inning and was able to plate a run off a single from Mercado to make the game 11-8.
Grand Valley State's McKenze Supernaw would slam a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning to extend the lead to 12-8.
A single by third basemen
Shelby Hulin allowed Byrne to score to make the score 12-9 in the bottom of the seventh. However, that would end up being the only run the Pioneers could collect in the seventh inning.
Cane went 3-for-4 at the plate and tallied five RBIs, while Byrne went 2-for-3, registered two RBIs and two doubles. In addition, Mercado went 2-for-4 at the plate
