April 20, 2024, OSSINEKE, Mich. -- The Grand Rapids Community College baseball and softball teams completed a perfect weekend by sweeping Alpena Community College again on Saturday.

It took extra innings for the Raiders baseball team (27-10, 16-0) to defeat Alpena in game one on Saturday, but the team rebounded nicely by shutting out the Lumberjacks 10-0 in its final game.  With the win, the Raiders clinched a berth in this year's eight-team regional tournament.

Chad Fisher's RBI single in the bottom of the eighth drove in Austin Gates for the 5-4 walk off victory in game one.

Thano Klett picked up the win in relief of starter Colton Blankstrom, who was named the conference's pitcher of the week last week.

In game two, Canyen Veldhouse (6-1) pitched a gem of game, going all six innings, and only allowing four base hits while striking out nine.

Gates and Ty Sandwick each had three of the teams 13 total hits.

After run-ruling Alpena in both games on Friday, GRCC's softball team (15-15-1, 10-6) had some late game heroics to sweep the Lumberjacks in Saturday's doubleheader.

Alpena took its first lead of the series in the top of the sixth of game one, 5-4.  But in the bottom half of the inning, the Raiders responded by sending 11 women to the plate and scored six runs in route to a 10-5 victory. 

Sophomore Vanessa Hewitt drove in five of those runs on a two-run single in the first and a three-run double in the sixth. Brynn McArthur and Samara Kolehouse also had two hits. 

Macey Springer picked up her seventh win of the year after going the distance and striking out eight batters.

Macy Huver retired the first seven batters she faced in game two, but the Raider offense was held to just one run in the first four innings.  With the score tied at one, sophomore Alyssa Wierenga hit a grand slam home run in the bottom of the fifth giving her team a 5-1 advantage.  The Raiders weren't done yet, as it hit another big home run in the sixth inning, this time a three-run shot by Kolehouse.

Huver (6-4) allowed just three hits while the Raiders offense finished with 13 hits and its defense had no errors. 

Both teams are scheduled to play at home on Tuesday before wrapping up the conference season with a four-game series against Mid Michigan College next weekend. 

MCCAA Baseball Standings
MCCAA Softball Standings

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