WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Grace's softball team earned a crucial split at home against Taylor on Tuesday.
The Lady Lancers (10-19, 7-11 Crossroads League) won the opener 7-1 before falling in game two 7-4 at Coach Phil Dick Field.
As a result, Grace remains in sixth place in the league standings with an important weekend ahead. The Lady Lancers will host seventh-place Huntington on Friday at 3 p.m. and eighth-place Goshen on Saturday at 1 p.m.
The Lady Lancers took down the Trojans 7-1 in an impressive performance to start the day.
Jeri Ellis began Grace's scoring in the second inning with a two-out, two-run single. Jessica Kaurich followed that up with an RBI of her own to give Grace an early edge.
Ellis added another two-out RBI in the fourth inning, propelling Grace to a 4-1 lead.
The Lady Lancers blew the game open with a three-run sixth inning. Kaurich drove in a pair with a single, and Cassandra Hayes produced Grace's seventh run with a sacrifice fly.
Ellis had no trouble retiring the side from the mound in the seventh, securing the complete-game victory. Ellis allowed just one run on five hits across her seven innings of work. She also hit 2 for 2 with 2 walks, 3 RBIs and 1 run scored.
Kaurich batted 3 for 4 with three RBIs, and Taylor Hodgen was 2 for 2 with three runs scored.
Grace scored first to begin the second game as well. Hodgen drove in Tia O'Connor during the second inning.
The Trojans (16-13, 13-5 CL) responded with a two-run home run in the third to grab their first lead of the day.
Taylor used the long ball again in the fifth inning to help build its lead to 5-1.
But Grace was able to rally quickly with one important swing of its own. Ellis and Kaurich reached base with two outs, and Hayes brought them both home with a three-run home run to left field which chopped TU's lead down to 5-4.
But the Trojans had more runs in store. Taylor plated twice in the top of the sixth to increase the cushion to three, and Grace was unable to respond in the 7-4 defeat.
Alexis Bergman was Grace's most effective pitcher, tossing 1.2 innings of relief with no runs and one hit. Hayes hit 1 for 3 with three RBIs.
