| 04.23.09
- Aside from having conference playoff implications, the Foresters'
doubleheader with Spring Arbor also was Senior Day for five
upperclassman and included an opportunity to break a program record.
HU split with the Cougars losing the first 1-0 and winning the
second 3-0. The win was the Foresters' 23rd victory of the season
which surpassed the program's previous best of 22 set 24 years ago
in the spring of 1985. The victory also marked the first time
that HU had beaten Spring Arbor during Coach Gower's tenure.
The Foresters needed to sweep the
doubleheader to finish third in the MCC standings, but will instead
enter postseason play as the #4 seed. The five seniors playing
in their final home games were Keri Badenhop, Brittany Gower, Ashley
McCann, Ashley Scally and Lauren Ward.
In the opener, Spring Arbor's leadoff
hitter singled to start the game, moved to second on a bobble and
then stole third. A walk put runners at first and third with
two outs and when the Cougars drew a throw to second on a fake
steal, the baserunner scored from third for the only run of the
game. The Foresters left runners in scoring position three
times including the bottom of the seventh, but couldn't come up with
the big hit to drive them in.
Ward went the distance in the loss
for HU. She gave up one run on five hits and three walks while
striking out 10. Brita Kuiper had two hits in the contest
including a double for the Foresters.
In the nightcap, Kuiper continued to
swing a hot bat. In the bottom of the second she drove in the
Foresters' first run with a double and then scored on a Cougar error
to make it 2-0. She then came to the plate with two outs in
the bottom of the sixth and drilled a triple to deep left to earn
her second RBI of the game and give HU the 3-0 win.
Molly Long reaped the benefits of
Kuiper's performance at the plate to pick with the win on the mound.
She shutout Spring Arbor and allowed four hits and a walk while
striking out nine. |
