By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Grand Rapids, MI---The No. 11-ranked Express softball team continued to come up with the big plays Thursday - keeping their undefeated record alive on the road against Grand Rapids Community College. After having doubleheaders rained out for five consecutive days, the Express won by scores of 7-4 and 15-1.

Game 1: Owens 7 Grand Rapids 4

The Express opened up a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Sydney Barron (Jefferson/Monroe, Mich.) led off with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and moved to third in a ground ball to the right side by Courtney Mowery (Genoa/Genoa, Ohio). That set up Allison Hausch's (Bryan/Bryan, Ohio) single down the left field line to open the scoring. She later scored on an RBI single to centerfield by Michelle Hollister (Airport/Newport, Mich.).

Grand Rapids answered back with a run in the bottom half of the inning before they took a one run lead on the Express with a two run third. However, Express starter Jordan Ratliff (Summerfield/Petersburg, Mich.) was able to force five stranded runners for Grand Rapids in the second and third innings.

In the third, after Grand Rapids had taken the 3-2 lead, they had the bases loaded and one out. However, Ratliff got Brittany Frye and Brenna Donahue to strike out to limit the damage.

Neither team had a batter reach in the fourth inning before the Express came up with clutch hits in the fifth to take the lead back. Hollister got things started with a double to deep center. Kristen Roznoski (Cardinal Stritch/Toledo, Ohio) then sacrificed her to second before Ashleigh Whitacre (Central Catholic/Toledo, Ohio) flew out to short right field - not deep enough to score the runner. Then, with two outs, and down a run with a runner on third, Alaina Haubert (Gibsonburg/Gibsonburg, Ohio) singled through the middle just past the shortstop's reach to tie the game.

Following that, on the game's very next pitch, Lindsey Bandeen (Springfield/Holland, Ohio) lined a triple to right center, scoring Haubert and giving the Express a 4-3 lead and momentum.

After Ratliff set Grand Rapids down 1-2-3 for the second straight inning, Owens added two more in the sixth following a one out double to right field by Mowery and an opposite field single by Hausch that put runners on first and third. Annie DeTray (Oak Harbor/Oak Harbor, Ohio) pinch ran for Hausch and stole second base. On a 3-0 count, Hollister lined a single through the right side scoring both runners and putting Owens up 6-3.

Grand Rapids answered back with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 6-4. However, once again, Ratliff limited the damage when she induced a two-out ground ball to Hollister at second to strand runners on second and third.

In the seventh, Barron had an RBI single through the left side to score Haubert and cap the game's scoring. Grand Rapids got a one out double in the last of the seventh, but managed nothing else as Ratliff moved to 11-0 on the season. Her final line included nine hits, four runs (two earned), one walk and five strikeouts. She gave up two runs on sacrifice flies and only allowed one extra base hit - in the seventh inning.

Hollister led the Express offensively with a 3-for-3 performance, which included a double, one run and two RBIs. She also had three assists in the field. Haubert went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.

Aside from her big RBI triple, Bandeen came up with two fine defensive plays in the fourth and fifth inning when she reached out to snag a line drive in the hole to her right and ran out towards centerfield to catch a shallow pop up in no-man's land.

Jessica Kohloff (2-3) took the loss for Grand Rapids, her second loss to the Express this year.

Game 2: Owens 15 Grand Rapids 1

Ashlyn Michalak (Springfield/Temperance, Mich.) and Kasey Graham (Clay/Oregon, Ohio) combined on a one-hitter, while the Express offense rolled with 15 runs and 17 hits.

In her three innings, Michalak (9-0) allowed only a first inning, two-out solo home run to Alison Iuelle, which tied the game at one at the time. She struck out six.

Graham came in to pitch the final two innings and didn't allow a base runner while striking out two.

Whitacre began her big game offensively with a solo home run to centerfield in the top of the first. After Iuelle tied it in the bottom half, the Express broke through for three runs in the second.

Bridget Wolfe (Bellevue/Bellevue, Ohio) led off with a solo home run to left field. Barron and Whitacre then hit RBI singles to put Owens up 4-1.

After a 1-2-3 second for Grand Rapids, Owens scored three more to go up 7-1 in the third on a fielding error by the left fielder, an RBI single by Barron, and an RBI groundout by Hausch.

Then, Owens broke through for eight runs in the fourth. After a leadoff triple by Haubert, Bandeen singled her in for the first run. Then, after Wolfe singled to left field, Barron singled up the middle to score Bandeen for the second run. A fielder's choice put runners on first and third before a double steal by Mowery (second) and Wolfe (home) put the third run across. Hausch then doubled to score Mowery for the fourth run.

Then, following a walk by Hollister and a single by Roznoski to load the bases, Whitacre hit her second home run of the game - a grand slam - to left center.

Graham then retired the six batters she faced, while Owens had Barron reach on a hit by pitch in the fifth. However, they didn't put across any more runs. Thus, the first inning solo home run by Iuelle prevented a combined perfect game from Michalak and Graham.

Whitacre led the Express offensively with a 3-for-4 game that included a solo home run, a grand slam, two runs and six RBIs.

Wolfe (3-for-4, three runs, RBI) and Barron (3-for-3, two runs, two RBIs) each also had three hits. Roznoski, Hausch and Bandeen each had two hits, while Hollister had a hit and two walks in three plate appearances.

The Express went 17-for-31 as a team in the game with a double, a triple, three home runs, two walks, and two stolen bases. They raised their nation best team batting average to .434.

Ashley Raap (5-9) took the loss for Grand Rapids as they used four pitchers in the game.

Notes:

The Express (26-0, 2-0 OCCAC) completed a season sweep of Grand Rapids with the two wins. They moved up two spots in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Div. II poll this past Wednesday and are scheduled to play Mercyhurst North East on Friday at 1 p.m. at home before traveling to Cuyahoga C.C. on Saturday. However, the dominant story line of the season - rain - is in the forecast the next few days.