May 12, 2007

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - Grand Valley State relinquished a four-run lead in a nightmarish sixth inning Saturday, but the No. 4 seed Lakers received a two-out solo home run from Lisa Preuss in the top of the 13th that gave them a 5-4 win over No. 7 seed Missouri-Rolla in a Division II Great Lakes Regional elimination game.

Grand Valley State (34-17) led 3-0 following solo home runs by Kristin Moleski and Elizabeth Smith in the first - both coming with two outs - and a solo shot by Preuss leading off the second.

The Lakers stretched their advantage to 4-0 in the fifth. Karen Walters led off with an infield single, moved to third on a double by Nichole Woityra and scored on Moleski's line-drive infield single off the throwing hand of Missouri-Rolla pitcher Jen O'Hara.

Missouri-Rolla (29-18) tallied all four of its runs in the sixth on a pair of two-run home runs. Krista Porterfield's leadoff single was followed by a blast off the bat of Kandi Wieberg. Kelsey Musselman singled with one out and scored on a two-out homer by Emily Tucker.

The pitchers took over from there. Grand Valley State's Lori Andjelich (17-7), who went the distance, allowed just two hits the rest of the way. Missouri-Rolla's Ashley Wallingford, who entered the circle after O'Hara was clipped by Moleski's line shot, kept the Lakers off the board until the 13th.

Preuss was 3-for-6 to lead Grand Valley State's 12-hit attack, while Moleski, Smith and Katie Kring had two hits apiece. Ashley Winter collected two hits for Missouri-Rolla.

Andjelich struck out 14 and allowed seven hits and two walks. Wallingford (10-7) turned in 8 2/3 innings of work and gave five hits and two walks while fanning six.