For the fourth consecutive doubleheader, Lourdes split a pair of games on Thursday afternoon at Concordia (Mich.), taking the opener 8-5 before dropping game two 8-6 at Cardinal Field in Ann Arbor, Mich.
"We had a lot of offensive production today, but unfortunately our defense wasn't as tight as it has been," head coach
Caitlin Blanchard said afterwards. "We did have a couple of long balls so that was fun.
Sophia Dauterman's grand slam in game two kept us in that game even though we didn't walk away with the win. In order to get the second win of a series, we need to find a way to put it all together between our pitching, defense, and hitting."
After surrendering an opening inning run in the opener, the Gray Wolves took the lead in the third with a pair of unearned runs. Concordia matched Lourdes with two in the bottom of the frame to build a 3-2 lead.
Lourdes took the lead for good in the fifth.
Brooke Albert (Edgewood, Ky./Dixie Heights H.S.) doubled home a run and
Ashleigh Riffle (Lebanon, Ohio/Lebanon H.S.) followed with a run-scoring single to put the Gray Wolves in front.
Megan Richardson (Napoleon, Ohio/Napoleon H.S.) added to the lead in the sixth with a two-run single, increasing the advantage to 6-3.
After the Cardinals plated two in the bottom of the sixth to pull within one, Lourdes added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh. Albert led off the inning with a home run before the final run scored on a ground out.
Kirsten Smith (Marysville, Mich./Marysville H.S.) went the distance in the circle for the win (6-5) while the Lourdes offense pounded out 12 hits.
Sophia Dauterman (Toledo, Ohio/Whiteford H.S.) had three hits while Albert and
Annalisse Palma (Battle Creek, Mich./Lakeview H.S.) each had two.
The Gray Wolves struck first in game two, as
Emily Wallace (Thornville, Ohio/Lakewood H.S.) delivered a RBI single. Concordia quickly responded though with three runs in each of the first two innings to build a 6-1 lead.
Dauterman pulled Lourdes to within one with a grand slam in the third, but Concordia (19-17, 4-6 WHAC) tacked on two insurance runs in the sixth to regain a three-run advantage. The Gray Wolves plated one in the seventh on Dauterman's fifth RBI of the game, but Lourdes left the bases loaded to end the game.
Dauterman had three hits in game two as well, as did Wallace, as the duo accounted for six of the team's 10 hits in the nightcap.
Lourdes (9-14, 4-6) returns home on Friday afternoon as the Gray Wolves entertain Rochester (Mich.). First pitch in game one of the doubleheader is set for 3:30 p.m. at Gray Wolf Field.
