Lakeland nets wins in five of six games

Huron Valley Lakeland went 5-1 last week, including two wins at the Gull Lake Invitational in Battle Creek.

The Eagles (9-2 overall, 4-0 in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association North Division) began the week with a doubleheader sweep of Waterford Mott on Thursday, April 28.

Lakeland took the opener, 8-3, as Kelsey Johnson tripled and drove in 2 runs and Kelsey Cleary hit 2-for-4.
Sierra Burke and Devan Olah each had doubles and Morgan Craft, Kendra Kornitowski and Stephanie Shatzer each had a hit.

Michelle Stiltner pitched a complete game, giving up 4 hits while striking out 9.

The Eagles then took the nightcap, 9-2, as Burke hit 2-for-3 with a home run and 2 RBIs. 

Johnson added a triple and a double to drive in 2 runs and Hannah Szajner added 2 hits and scored 2 runs.
  Stiltner pitched 6 innings, giving up 4 hits and striking out 4 batters; while Kelly Merkle pitched the final inning, giving up 2 hits and striking out a batter.

Lakeland then shutdown Brighton, 8-1, on Friday, April 29 as Kendra Kornitowski went 2-for-3 and drove in 3 runs. Cleary went 3-for-5 with an RBI and Burke doubled and drove in 3 runs.

Stiltner pitched a complete game, giving up 3 hits and striking out 7 batters.

Lakeland then traveled to the Gull Lake Invitational in Battle Creek on Saturday, April 30.

The Eagles lost their opening game, 11-3, to Romeo. Lakeland had a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning before Romeo scored 9 unanswered runs. The Eagles finished the game with 4 errors.

Burke led Lakeland at the plate going 3-for-4 with a triple. Cleary and Merkle each had 3 hits. 

Stiltner pitched 7 innings, giving up 13 hits and striking out 7 batters while 4 of Romeo’s 11 runs were earned.

The Eagles rebounded with an 11-8 win over Marine City in their next game. Cleary went 4-for-4 with an RBI. Burke added 2 hits and drove in 4 runs. Johnson hit 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs, while Jessica McNabb added a hit and drove in 2 runs. Olah, Merkle and Szajner each had a hit.

Merkle pitched 5 and two-thirds innings, giving up 8 hits and striking out 4 batters. Cleary, in her varsity debut at pitcher, went 1 and a third innings, giving up 2 hits and striking out 3 batters.

Lakeland finished the day with a 9-2 victory over Kalamazoo Christian. Burke drove in 3 runs while Johnson added 3 hits. Craft, Merkle and Cleary each had 2 hits. 

Merkle went the distance, giving up 8 hits and striking out 2.

Lakeland hosted Pinckney on Monday, May 2 after press time, and will play at Walled Lake Northern today, Wednesday, May 4 and will play at Grand Blanc on Friday, May 6.