Alice Lloyd Softball blasts 68 hits over four games: sweep Grace Christian University on road

Kentwood, MI: The Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles (24-14) returned to action on April 24th, 26th as they played the Grace Christian University Tigers in a four-game series in Michigan. The Lady Eagles belted 68 hits during the series to win in an impressive sweep.

April 24th

Game 1

Alice Lloyd-10: GCU-0

The Lady Eagles delivered a two-hit shutout to take the opener.

In the first inning, ALC saw the Rife sisters, Rachel (LF) and Arin (DP, line a pair of singles to produce the first run, 1-0. The floodgates opened in the third.

In that inning, the Caney Creek clubbers used 4 singles, 4 stolen bases, and a double from Mckenzie Orfield (3B), to plate 8 huge runs. The Bluegrass squad now led 9-0.

In the fifth, the visitors layered a pair of walks with a fielders choice to sneak a runner home. ALC now led 10-0.

In the meantime,starting pitcher Maleigh McDaniel was humming along, and closer Kirsten Vice ended the contest in the bottom of the same inning.

 At the plate, ALC saw Ellie Keene (C) rap 3 hits while Orfield and McDaniel each added  2.  Orfield's 3 RBIs led in that department.

 McDaniel earned the victory on the mound. In four innings, she allowed just 1 single with 3 strikeouts. Vice relieved the final inning, allowing 1 hit and whiffing the final batter.

The Eagles outhit the Tigers 11-2, and the contest was error-free.

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GAME 2

Alice Lloyd- 12; GCU-3

The Lady Eagles fell behind early but roared back for the crushing win.

In the first inning, the Tigers used several walks and a pair of singles to leap ahead, 2-1. In the second, the Pippa Passes posse sliced the deficit in half when Lauren Morris (C) singled and scored on a double from Chloe Taylor (2B). This made the score 2-1.

In the third, ALC took command, using  4 singles to produce a trio of runs. The Bluegrass squad now led 4-2.

GCU did grab a run in their next at-bat, after several walks and a single set the score 4-3. The momentum would soon change.

In the fifth, the blue and white would go berserk, knocking 10 hits and scoring 8 runs. The damage came from 7 singles and a trio of doubles; two by Orfield and one from R. Rife.

Now the scoreboard showed 12-3, and the hosts would go out in the bottom of the inning to end the day.

At the plate, McDaniel was a perfect 4-4, while Orfield, A. Rife, and Morris each produced 3. Taylor led the way with 2 RBIs.

A. Rife earned the pitching victory. In five innings, she gave up 3 earned runs on 5 hits while striking out 5 batters. Vice closed the day and whiffed 1 batter.

The Eagles dominated the hitting war, 17-5, and committed 0 errors.

April 26th

GAME 3

Alice Lloyd- 14; GCU-4

The Lady Eagles jumped out quickly as their bats stayed hot.

In the first inning R. Rife opened with a homerun (1-0). After 5 singles delivered four more scores to make it 5-0, R. Rife came up again, and promptly bashed her second homer of the inning. This gave the Bluegrass bashers a 8-0 cushion.

The lead grew in the fourth after 4 singles and a McDaniel double changed the scoreboard to 12-0. 

The hosts would produce 3 hits in the same inning to make the score 12-2, but ALC laced 4 singles of their own to make it 14-2. Although Grace would add another pair of runs in their final attempt, the deficit was to deep to overcome.

At the plate, McDaniel went 4-4 while Keene added 3 hits. R. Rife and Audrey Mowell (2B) brought home 4 and 3 RBIs respectively.

McDaniel earned the pitching victory. In four innings, she gave up 4 hits and 2 earned runs while striking out 7 batters. Vice went the final inning, allowing 3 hits and 2 runs.

The Eagles won the hitting war, 18-7 and committed 0 errors.

GAME 4

Alice Lloyd- 20; GCU-2

The final game saw the Lady Eagles save their best for last as they scored each inning to earn the massive win.

In the Eagle first, 4 singles led to a nice five-spot (5-0). Then, in the second inning, a pair of walks and McDaniel single made it 6-0.

In the next Pippa Passes inning, a Taylor single and R. Rife blast made it 8-0. Grace would dent the scoreboard in the same inning with a RBI single, but trailed 8-1.

In the fourth, ALC knocked 7 more hits, including 5 singles and a pair of doubles from McDaniel and Carlee Muncy (1B). The Kentucky crew now led  14-1.

GCU added a score in their half of the inning (14-2) but the guests put the contest on ice in the fifth.

In that inning, 6 more hits delivered 6 big runs. The big blast came when Dailey Hicks (3B) got her first career hit, and it proved to be a grand-slam homer. This made the score 20-2.

A Rife earned the pitching victory. In four innings, she gave up 2 hits and 2 earned runs, with 6K's. Kinna Justice relieved in the fifth and gave up a hit before whiffing the final batter.

The Eagles dominated the hitting war, 22-3, and both squads had 1 error.