Lakers drop two against 8th-ranked Warriors

SAULT STE. MARIE - The Lake Superior State softball team closed out the 2010 season with 13-0 and 10-1 home losses to eighth-ranked Wayne State on Saturday at Kaunisto Field.

The Lakers (10-38 overall, 5-21 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) needed to win both games to have a shot at qualifying for the GLIAC Tournament. Conference leader WSU improved to 47-10 overall and 21-5 in the GLIAC.

The Warriors out-hit LSSU 11-3 in the opener. Lacey Knoop, Lorrie Chaperon and Christine Larkin managed singles off winning pitcher Casey Hanes (37-5), who totaled 11 strikeouts. Jillian Willette took the loss for the Lakers, totaling two walks and two strikeouts through four innings. She gave up 13 runs, including seven earned.

Ronlea Peterson doubled and scored on an RBI single by Larkin in the fifth inning of the nightcap, cutting Wayne State's lead to 3-1. The Warriors responded with a seven-run rally in the bottom of the sixth.

Larkin took the loss, giving up eight runs (six earned) on two walks and no strikeouts through 5 1/3 innings. Reliever Jordan Christie allowed two earned runs on one walk and no strikeouts.

Hanes relieved starter Nicole Able in the fifth inning and recorded the save.

Knoop, Chaperon, Nichole Dunford and Amber Kern closed out their collegiate careers.

Game 1

Game 2