GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Siena Heights softball team picked up two victories at Cornerstone in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference action, on Monday, including a 17-inning first game lasting over four hours. SHU won the games 8-4 and 3-2, respectively.
Cornerstone (11-13, 6-6 WHAC) started in the first inning as they scored three runs. The Saints tacked on a lone run in the top of the second inning as Vanessa Wandrie managed a double to send Amy Nordstrom home. In the bottom of the fourth, the Golden Eagles added another run to lead 4-1. Siena Heights scored one in the fifth and tied it in the sixth inning as Kris Forest was walked and Racquel Ward scored on an error, making it 4-4.
The score would stay tied at 4-4 for 10 innings, until SHU broke the drought with single from Skylar Crenshaw, double by Kristi Carlson and another single from Jordan Bianchi. CU went three up, three down to end it 8-4 in four hours and 15 minutes of action.
Siena Heights had 65 at-bats, managing 13 hits. Five different Saints had two hits while Forest, Ward, Crenshaw, Wandrie and Bianchi had an RBI, Carlson earned two RBI. Mackenzie Vallad led the Golden Eagles with three hits and two others earned two hits.
Throwing all 17 innings for the Saints (19-13, 11-7 WHAC) was pitcher Ward, striking out 13 batters while allowing 13 hits and four runs, two earned, to earn the win. Brooke Leonard took the loss for the Golden Eagles, pitching 16.2 innings and striking out six batters while allowing 13 hits and six earned runs. Whitney Denton relieved her in the 17th inning, allowing two runs, one earned.
Cornerstone again took the lead in the second inning, scoring twice. Siena Heights responded with a solo run in the third. Lexi Agers hit a triple in the top of the fifth inning and was brought in by a Wandrie single to tie it at 2-2. Two errors by the pitcher helped SHU to get the final run of the night around in the top of the sixth as Crenshaw made it home.
Agers went 2-for-3 and earned an RBI to help SHU as four different Saints earned a hit, including Wandrie with an RBI. Three different Golden Eagles earned two hits while Jessica Wright and Vassar earned the RBI for CU.
Lauren Best started in the circle for the Saints and was relieved by Lauren Valdez in the second inning. Valdez earned the win as she struck out five while allowing eight hits and two runs to earn the win. Rachel Younts suffered the loss for AQ, allowing six hits and three runs, only one earned.
Siena Heights will return to action on Wednesday as they host Lourdes in a 3:30 p.m. WHAC double-header.