ADRIAN, Mich. – The Siena Heights softball team won the first game of the night 4-2 before falling 11-5 in the second game against Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference opponent Lawrence Tech.
In the first game of the day, Siena Heights started the scoring in the second inning as doubles from Racquel Ward and Skylar Crenshaw, with Crenshaw bring in Ward. A single by Taylor Mowery sent Crenshaw home to put the Saints up 2-0. LTU answered quickly with a Brittany Wieland home run to score two, tying it 2-2.
In the fifth inning, a single by Taylor Mowery put SHU in motion again as she was brought in by a Kris Forest double over the center fielder. Ward hit a single to bring in Ashley Bearden, who pinch ran for Forest, to give the Saints a 4-2 lead.
Ward and Forest each went 2-for-3 and earned and an RBI. With one hit each for the Saints was Bailee Taylor, Crenshaw and Mowery. With both RBIs for the Blue Devils was Brittany Wieland while two others earned a hit in the first game.
Earning the win for Siena Heights (13-9, 5-3 WHAC) was pitcher Racquel Ward, managing six strikeouts while allowing only three hits and two runs, one unearned. Suffering the loss for Lawrence Tech was Alexa Cherney, allowing seven hits and four earned runs as she earned three strikeouts.
Lawrence Tech (12-10, 3-3 WHAC) started out the scoring in the second inning, adding three runs. LTU struck again in the third inning as they tacked on four runs to hold a 7-0 lead. Siena Heights responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning, starting with a Bearden single. Doubles by Helmink and Forest helped the Saints' cause, along with two errors by the Blue Devils.
With the bases loaded in the top of the fourth, Dana Bigham hit a double to bring in all the base runners. This was followed by a single to extend the LTU lead to 11-4. SHU tallied a run in the bottom of the fourth to trim the lead to 11-5, but it wasn't enough as the Saints fell in six innings due to darkness.
Helmink lead the Saints as she went 3-for-4 in the batter's box while earning an RBI. Six different Saints earned a hit. Three different Blue Devils had two-hit games while six earned a hit.
Starting for the Saints was pitcher Lauren Best, throwing 2.2 innings as she allowed eight runs three earned. Lauren Valdez relieved her in the third inning and threw the remainder of the game, allowing four hits and four runs, three of them earned, with three strikeouts. Brittney Bult threw the complete game for Lawrence Tech with three strikeouts and nine hits.
Next up, Siena Heights will face Indiana Tech on Tuesday, April 17, due to the poor weather predicted for Sunday, April 15. On Tuesday, Siena Heights will host the WHAC opponents in a 3:30 p.m. double-header.