PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- The Lake Erie softball team hosted the D'Youville Saints today for a midweek, non-conference doubleheader at Diamond 9 at Kiwanis Recreation Park. The Storm attempted an impressive comeback in game one but would ultimately drop both games on the day.

GAME 1

D'YOUVILLE - 8
LAKE ERIE - 7

The Saints jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, attempting to set a tone against the Storm pitching. In the bottom half though, a lead off double by CJ Garcia, a sacrifice bunt by Sydney Taylor, and an RBI double by Lily Turkowski cut the Saints lead in half.

Both sides put up scoreless frames during the next two innings and in the fourth, D'Youville drove in two more runs to extend their lead. Just like the first inning though, the Storm answered with a run of their own, this time courtesy of Emma Spahr who crushed a solo shot over the left centerfield fence.

The Saints extended their lead to 5-2 in the top of the fifth but in the bottom half, the Storm had an answer again. After a Garcia walk, Turkowski came up big again, this time hitting the Storm's second home run of the game and narrowing the deficit to just 5-3.

Unfortunately, D'Youville extended that lead to 8-4 in the top of the sixth and Lake Erie was unable to respond in the bottom half.

In the bottom of the seventh, still down 8-4, the Storm began to put together some impressive at bats and make the Saints sweat a little.

After two straight outs to start, Jasmine Gonzales drew a walk and Turkowski drove her over to third with her third hit of the game. Addison Nugent loaded the bases after getting hit by a pitch on the foot, sending up Lilian Campbell as the game-tying run. Campbell delivered for her team and scored Turkowski and Gonzales with a single to left center. The Storm caught a break when the Saints left fielder dropped a fly ball hit by Spahr in the next at bat and Kai Mortensen, who pinch ran for Nugent, scored.

With Campbell at third as the tying run and Spahr at second representing the winning run, the Storm's comeback attempt finally came to an end with a popup to the pitcher during the next at bat.

Turkowski's final line was an impressive 3-for-4 day, with three RBIs and two runs scored. Garcia went 2-for-3 and Gonzales, Campbell, Spahr, Maddie Pawlak, and Madi Eckert each accounted for the remaining hits.

Mortensen got the start in the circle and pitched five innings, giving up just three earned runs.


GAME 2

D'YOUVILLE - 15
LAKE ERIE - 1

The Storm were unable to carry over their game one momentum and began game two by giving up four runs to the Saints in the first inning.

In the bottom half though, the Storm were able to respond when Jasmine Gonzales drove in CJ Garcia with an RBI double. This would prove to be Lake Erie's only run of the game and the Saints put together a few more multi-run innings before settling into a 15-1 win in five innings.

Despite the loss, Garcia went 3-for-3 in the game with a double while Gonzales had herself a nice 2-for-2 day at the plate. Emma Spahr and Brynn Gillen each tallied a hit as well.


Looking Ahead

The Storm will be back in action tomorrow, March 27th to resume conference play when they host the Ursuline College Arrows. The games are set to begin at 3 p.m.