Racers Go 2-2 in Grand Rapids

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - UNOH (24-15, 10-4) opened their four-game trip with a doubleheader split against Cornerstone on Friday, April 14. The Racers fell 4-0 to the Golden Eagles in game one but rebounded with a 7-1 win in game two. UNOH reversed the split on Saturday at Aquinas taking game one 4-0 before falling in six 10-2 in game two.

Friday

Game 1: Cornerstone 4 UNOH 0

The Racers sprinkled in just three hits over the seven innings as the offense struggled to get started. Jaylyn Mullenax (6-5) went the distance to take the loss giving up ten hits while striking out seven and walking just one. 

Game 2: UNOH 7 Cornerstone 1

 An error got UNOH on the board first in the second inning of game two. The third frame opened with another error followed by a single and a Tess Denning RBI ground out for run number two. Anna Ankney brought in two more thanks to a single and one more error by the Golden Eagles. The Racers scored for a third straight inning with an RBI double from Autumn Pelok in the fourth going up 4-0. Through five innings, Cornerstone scattered just four hits over the first five frames and UNOH continued to lead after five. The Golden Eagles finally broke through in the sixth but the Racers answered right back. The seventh opened single, double, double with Dani Keighley bringing in two more runs and the Racers retired the side in the bottom for the 7-1 win.

Keighley led the Racers with her two RBI going 2-4 in the game. Tess Denning, Anna Ankney and Autumn Pelok each had one RBI while Sidney Unger was a career best 4-4 at the plate.

 Kiya Benschoter (2-1) put in a career high six innings of work to get the decision. Benschoter gave up just one run off five hits with four walks and two strikeouts. Jaylyn Mullenax tossed the final frame with no runs, no hits, no walks and one strikeout.

Saturday

Game 1: UNOH 4 Aquinas 0

UNOH scored three of thir four runs in the second inning thanks to three singles and a double. Sidney Unger brought in two with a single to the left center gap and Anna Ankney doubled down the left field line for the third. Aquinas managed just one hit over the first three innings and the Racers added one more in the fourth. After Unger bunted her way on with two outs, Anna Ankney crushed one to the gap in right center for her third triple of the season to put UNOH up 4-0. The game became a pitchers duel with the teams combining for just four hits over the next three and half innings giving the Racers their ninth shutout of the season. 

Anna Ankney got back on track going 3-4 at the dish with two RBI. Sidney Unger continued her hot weekend going 2-3 with two RBI and Hailee Edgell recorded her second multi-hit game of the week finishing 2-3. 

 Jaylyn Mullenax (7-5) threw her second complete game in as many appearances giving up just three hits while striking out three and walking one.

Game 2: Aquinas 10 UNOH 2 (6 Innings)

An error in the first put UNOH on the scoreboard first but the Saints plated two in inning and two in the second to take control 4-1. A delayed double steal got one back for the Racers in the fifth but would come up short as Aquinas came alive in the home six scoring six to end the game early 10-2.

No RBI's were credited to the Racers with Anna Ankney the only player with multiple hits going 2-2 in the game.

Kiya Benschoter (2-2) took the loss after five and two-thirds innings giving up six earned runs off ten hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Karsyn McGlothen finished the game but didn't couldn't get the final out giving up two runs off two hits with two walks.

 UNOH will head back to Michigan on Wednesday, April 19, to take on Madonna. Game one first pitch slated for 2:30 PM.