Softball falls to Cornerstone in midweek series

(Grand Rapids, MI) - The Rochester Christian softball team returned to the diamond on Wednesday afternoon with a road trip to the west side of Michigan for a matchup against the Cornerstone Golden Eagles. 

GAME 1 - CORNERSTONE 14, ROCHESTER CHRISTIAN 6

Kaylie Rickert (3-4) began the game on the mound for the Warriors, pitching the first 1.2 innings, allowing eight runs (four earned) on six hits with a strikeout. 

Jaya Forti was able to get the Warriors on the board first, reaching on an error and coming around to score following a stolen base and an Emma Cronkright double to right center field after an eight-pitch battle. 

Cornerstone would add a total of 11 runs in the bottom of the first and second innings, as they took a commanding lead. 

The Warriors fought back in the third inning with a trio of runs. Ella Hayes began the inning with a single and would then come around to score on a Jaya Forti triple. Forti would then score when Chloe Gildea knocked a ball to right field for an RBI. Gildea scored on an Emma Hoover error with two outs. CU made it 12-4 in the bottom of the inning with an RBI double. 

The Warriors would score in both the fourth and fifth innings, adding a run in each with Ella Hayes hitting an RBI groundout, scoring Brooklyn Ross in the fourth, and Makayla Lezotte singling home Emma Hoover in the fifth. The Golden Eagles would end the game early in the bottom of the fifth with two more runs. 

Rory Miller closed out the final three innings, allowing six runs (four earned) on 11 hits. 

GAME 2 - CORNERSTONE 8, ROCHESTER CHRISTIAN 3

Emily Leusby (3-9) pitched the full game in the circle, allowing eight runs (five earned) on nine hits with a trio of strikeouts. 

The Warriors would once again get the first lead of the game against CU, tallying a run in the second inning with Makayla Lezotte singling and eventually coming around to score on a wild pitch. Cornerstone added a two-RBI single in the bottom half of the inning to retake the lead. 

The lead would be tied right back up in the top of the third inning with Emma Cronkright hitting an RBI groundout to score Ella Hayes. 

The lead would lean Cornerstones way back in the fourth inning as they plated four runs, piecing together a walk and a couple of hits. 

RCU added one more run in the fifth inning with Chloe Gildea coming around to score after reaching base with a walk. CU tallied its final two runs in the fifth. 

UP NEXT

The Warriors will return home for a Saturday matchup against the Wolverines of Michigan-Dearborn on Saturday, April 4, for a 1 PM start, with the team also celebrating senior day as well.