BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – The Raiders ended their great run with a couple tough losses at the 2011 District G Tournament. The 19th ranked KVCC Cougars who hadn’t lost since April 21st upped their win streak to 15 games with a 4-1 victory in the opener for both teams. In the elimination round, Jackson CC came back from 3-0 and 5-3 deficits to upend the Raiders 6-5.
Coach Mike Novak had this to say: “Hey, we made a heck of a run to get in to the tournament, but we fell a little short. It was a great experience for the team and the program after a two year drought, and we’re looking forward to be back next year.”
KVCC’s Sara Heath struck out 10 and gave up just four hits in the 10am ball game. A two out solo homer by the Raiders Sarah Goudey in the top of the 5th inning spoiled the shutout for Heath. Kellen Dewey, Marlene Packer, and Alison Iuelle all added base hits in the losing cause. The Cougars 5-6-7 hitters combined to go 6 for 8 from the plate with three RBI. Jessica Kohloff and Brenna Donahue did a solid job on the mound for the Raiders against the top four Cougar hitters, as K-Valley was just 1 for 11.
In the 4:00 elimination game of the tournament the Raiders started off on the right track scoring three runs in the top of the first against the Jets after ripping off five hits. The Jets tied the game up in the bottom of the 3rd inning after a few hits and mishaps by the Raiders.
Kohloff’s third RBI of the game put the Raiders back in front in the top of the 5th inning and tack on a run by Brittany Frye after a wild pitch, it was a 5-3 ball game. In the latter of the inning, the Jets cut the deficit in half after a base hit by the designated hitter Megan Mosher.
In the top of the 6th inning, Jackson’s head coach decided to switch pitchers and little did she know, it paid off big time. Even though the Raiders had three hits against Sarah Wilson, a miscue on the base path after a single to right by Iuelle ended the threat and it remained 5-3 going into the bottom of the sixth.
A leadoff walk followed by a base hit bunt that landed on home plate was all the Jets needed, because three batters later, Wilson scorched a single to left center that scored both runners. The Raiders went down 1-2-3 in the top of the 7th inning and the Jets would advance to the next round.
For the game, the Raiders out hit the Jets 13 to 11 lead by a 4 for 4 performance from Dewey and a 3 for 4 performance from Frye. Mosher and Teneile Heiler each had two base hits for Jackson.
Five of the most wonderful people played their final game in a Raider uniform tonight. Sophomores Kohloff, Iuelle, Packer, Ashley Raap, andAdrienne Palmer, whom started in nearly every game this season, are truly going to be missed. They all will be moving on to a four year school with their Associates Degree and for that a person couldn’t be any more proud.
