The Grand Rapids Community College softball team played back-to-back doubleheaders against the Delta College Pioneers on Thursday, March 28 and Friday, March 29. The Raiders walked away from the first three games victorious, winning 12-4, 15-2 and 12-8 before falling 7-8 in the start of the Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) Northern Conference.
Freshman Macey Springer was the starting pitcher for Thursday’s doubleheader, with the Raiders beginning on the field. The Pioneers earned two runs batted in (RBIs), but that’s all that got through the Raiders’ defense before they responded with eight runs of their own, starting off the game strong.
Sophomore Alyssa Wierenga was the first from GRCC to cross home plate, followed in the same play by freshman Amara Kline. Keeping the momentum going, Sophomore Brynn McArthur hit a homerun directly into the 220-yard marker before making her way around the bases. Freshmen Madison Miller and Emily Obenauf also scored on account of a wild pitch. Up to bat for the second time in one inning, Kline brought home her third run. Wierenga advanced on a fielding error and McArthur brought in another run with a single to left field before the inning wrapped up.
Two more runs were brought in by the Pioneers at the top of the second, both off of wild pitches. The Raiders continued to further their lead with another run scored from a double, hit by sophomore Macy Huver. This left the score at 9-4 before both teams entered a two-inning stalemate where neither team had a player touch home plate.
The Raiders got three more runs in the bottom of the fifth, wrapping up the game with a 12-4 victory.
Head Coach Chuck White felt confident going into the second game.
“I’m feeling great,” White said. “We’re swinging the bat well. I don’t see a reason why we shouldn’t do that again.”
Coming off hot from their win, the Raiders began the second game once again on the field, with freshman pitcher Macy Huver on the mound. The energy from the Raiders was high, and the top of the first moved fast, starting off with a bunt from Pioneer sophomore Cheyanne Hoody. Fortunately for the Raiders, Hoody was one of two plays that their defense would let onto the bases during their opponents’ time at bat. Following the reception of a ground ball, and a caught fly ball, Pioneer sophomore Karlyn Dunn hit a single to the left side, advancing Hoody home before the Raiders got their third and final out with another ground ball.
During the bottom of the second, with the bases loaded from previous batters being walked, sophomore Samara Kolehouse lobbed the ball into the outfield, earning the Raiders two RBIs, and beginning a lead that the Pioneers would never catch up to for the second time this evening.
The top of the second was the start of a dry spell for the Pioneers, with only one player getting on base and two striking out. At the bottom of the second, the Raiders’ batting lineup started with Huver hitting a double out to left field before eventually being brought home by Wierenga on another double, bringing the score up to 3-1.
The Pioneers continued to drag their feet in the top of the third inning, with three back-to-back outs. The Raiders, however, turned up the heat with sophomore Britney Cisler hitting an RBI, followed by two RBIs from Kline. Wierenga bunted, allowing for Cisler to run home on a fumbled throw from the Pioneers’ first base player. McArthur also earned the team two RBIs on a hit to center field. To round out the inning, Kolehouse hit a single down the middle, getting McArthur across home plate, and advancing the Raiders lead 10-1.
At the top of the fourth, the Pioneers were able to get their second and final run from a wild pitch. With the Raiders at bat during the bottom of the inning, the bases were loaded for Kline to bring in yet another two RBIs. This was later followed by another two RBIs hit by Miller. A wild pitch later brought Miller home, ending the fourth with a solid lead of 15-2.
Unable to change their fate, the Pioneers only got one player on base during the top of the fifth, officially ending the game with another win for the Raiders.
White came away from Thursday’s games feeling confident for the rematch on Friday.
“We’re swinging the bat on good pitches and playing solid defense,” White said “…Tomorrow’s rinse and repeat. If we do the same thing we just did today and we have those kinds of at-bats and we swing at good pitches, we’ll have a good year,” White said.
The Raiders were able to keep the momentum going for the first game of Friday’s doubleheader, though they got off to a slow start.
Starting at bat, the Raiders did not score for the first two innings, with the Pioneers earning two runs during the bottom of the first.
Kolehouse brought in the first run of the game for the Raiders, sending teammate Wierenga from third base to home. However, the Pioneers came back with three more runs of their own, furthering their lead 5-1.
During the top of the fourth, the Raiders continued their comeback efforts, with Wierenga hitting a triple and earning two RBIs putting the score at 5-3. In the bottom of the inning, the Pioneers were shut down, with three consecutive outs all made through field plays.
Competition stiffened in the fifth inning, with the Raiders taking the lead during their time at bat. Freshman Joslyn VanderHart was the first to score, with Obenauf scoring on a wild pitch right after. Later in the inning, Wierenga hit a double, earning another two RBIs. Going into the bottom of the fifth, the Raiders were leading 7-5, but this was short-lived. The Pioneers brought in three more runs, giving them a one-point lead.
The Raiders were able to turn the tide in the sixth inning, with Cisler bringing in two RBIs, now giving the team a one-point lead. In the bottom of the sixth, the Pioneers were unable to score, with the score resting at 9-8.
In the seventh and final inning, the Raiders continued to shut down the Pioneers on the field and increase their lead at bat. Miller was the first of the inning to score, followed by two RBIs from Kolehouse, leaving the final score of the third game at 12-8.
The final game resulted in the first loss of the series for the Raiders.
Both the Raiders and the Pioneers went through the first inning without scoring, but the Raiders brought in the first run of the game during the top of the second with Huver sending a fly ball out to left field.
The third inning was a shutdown for the Raiders, with three back-to-back outs during the top half and the Pioneers bringing in a whopping six runs during the bottom half, including a grand slam by freshman Karlyn Dunn.
In return, the Raiders brought in five runs of their own during the top of the fourth. Obenauf started the scoring spree, followed by two RBIs from Cisler. Sophomore Vanessa Hewitt sent the ball flying into left fielding, scoring a home run that sent both herself and Springer across home plate. The score was tied up 6-6 going into the bottom of the fourth before the Pioneers scored two runs, gaining a two-point lead.
Neither team scored in the sixth inning, but Obenauf brought in the final run of the game during the top of the sixth, leaving the Raiders with an 8-7 loss.
The Raiders, who now have a 7-8 record, will continue the MCCAA Northern Conference series with a doubleheader against Bay College on GRCC’s home field at Belknap Park on Friday, April 5 at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
