Apr. 17, 2025, ESCANABA, MI – Grand Rapids Community College's baseball and softball teams were back in action Thursday, taking on Bay College in key conference matchups in Escanaba. The day was highlighted by dominant performances from the Raider softball squad, who swept their doubleheader, and a split from the baseball team featuring a shutout win and a narrow loss.

Softball: Raiders Dominate with Pair of Run-Rule Wins

GRCC's top-ranked softball team (now 32-3 overall, 18-1 in conference) showed why they're leading the pack, dismantling Bay College in both games — 15-0 in five innings and 11-2 in six.

Game 1:
Freshman sensation Kalani Stowe (14-0) delivered a milestone performance, tossing her first collegiate perfect game, striking out 11 batters over five flawless innings. She continues to lead the conference in wins, ERA (0.81), and strikeouts (129), and currently ranks third in the nation in ERA.

The Raiders backed her gem with 15 hits, with Grace Chisek going 3-for-4 with 4 RBI to lead the charge. Stowe helped her own cause with a double and a triple among her two hits. Maddie Miller, Lauren Wiley, Paige Arthur, and Evelyn McEachen (2B & 3B) each chipped in two hits.

Game 2:
Stowe started the offense with a walk and later scored on an RBI from Miller, though GRCC wouldn't score again until a 5-run fourth inning, powered by Stowe's 2-run single. Bay responded with two runs in the fifth after bunting their way on base, but GRCC sealed it with another 5-run frame in the sixth.

Lillian Klop (5-0) was in control in the circle, giving up just 3 hits and no earned runs while striking out five. Offensively, Stowe (3 RBI) and Addison Nemecek (2B, 2 RBI) led the way with three hits apiece.

Baseball: Raiders Split, Shut Out Norse in Game One

The GRCC baseball team improved to 19-18 overall and sits in second place in the conference with a 13-6 record after splitting the Thursday doubleheader.

Game 1:
Andrew Pohlmann (5-1) threw a two-hit shutout in a dominant 13-0 win, striking out eight. The Raiders jumped ahead early thanks to Peter Heintz's third home run of the season in the first. They exploded for 9 more in the second, and added 2 in the third to end it in five.

JT TenEyck led the team with three hits, while Chad Fisher, Jr. (3 RBI), Joey Hysell, and Heintz (2 RBI) each recorded two hits.

Game 2:
In a tighter matchup, Thano Klett (6-1) took his first loss despite allowing just 2 earned runs on 5 hits with 6 strikeouts. Bay jumped ahead with a 2-out, 2-run double in the first. Ty Sandwick and TenEyck delivered RBI hits to tie the game by the fourth, but Bay plated the winning run in the bottom of the fifth.

Heintz, Cannon Paul, and Austin Gates added hits for the Raiders in the 3-2 loss.

Both teams return to action Friday to finish their five-game series against Bay College with doubleheaders starting at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. 

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Interested in supporting GRCC Athletics?  All donations can be done through GRCC Athletic's Scholarship Fund and can specify what scholarship fund the gift is going to, such as the Hofmann scholarship. If you have any questions on how to support Athletics at Grand Rapids Community College, contact the Athletic Department via phone at (616) 234-3883 or email grccathletics@grcc.edu. Any support is appreciated and goes towards assisting our student-athlete scholarship funds.