Grace loses twice against Taylor
WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Grace College’s softball team dropped a doubleheader at home against Taylor with the scores of 10-3 and 12-2.
Grace (12-30, 6-22 Crossroads League) found itself in a battle in the opener, but Taylor erupted late in the contest to pull away.
Taylor (24-10, 18-8 CL) started the game off with a run in the top of the first inning. The Trojans tacked on two more runs in the top of the third.
Grace responded with two runs in the bottom of the third. Chandler Elliott doubled to deep right center, driving in Sam Heim. On the next at-bat, Kyleigh Garner’s single brought in Elliott from second.
Unfortunately, the Trojans’ bats were too much for the Lancers. Taylor drove in four runs in the top of the fourth, two runs in the fifth, and another insurance run in the seventh.
Grace threatened to rally in the fourth inning, putting runners in scoring position early with hits from Ashley Kleinbub and Olivia Scarbrough. Sam Heim singled to left to score Kleinbub, but Taylor regrouped and stranded Grace baserunners at second and third to end the fourth.
The Lady Lancers would be held scoreless the rest of the game as Taylor eased away.
Garner led Grace in the first game, hitting 3-for-3 with an RBI, and Heim was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
In the second game, the Lady Lancers scored late in the fifth inning, but it was not enough for a run-rule loss after the fifth inning 12-2.
Taylor shut down Grace’s offense to the tune of six scattered hits. The Trojans, conversely, had 13 hits with four extra-base hits.
Grace’s late push was not enough in the bottom of the fifth. Scarbrough and Heim hit back-to-back doubles for Grace to score two runs. But the next two batters were retired to end the ballgame.
Heim had two of Grace’s six hits, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs, Scarbrough was 1-for-2 with a run, and Garner was 1-for-1 with a walk.
The Lady Lancers are on the road Tuesday, playing at Huntington at 3 p.m.