Lakeland College

Blahnik sets stolen bases mark as Muskies split

Athletics - posted on 4/28/2010

The Lakeland College softball team was unable to overcome a controversial ruling at second base that stalled a potential game-changing rally in the bottom of the sixth inning as the Muskies dropped the opener to Alverno 3-1 before a decisive 12-4 victory in five innings in Northern Athletics Conference action Wednesday night.

Trailing 2-0 in the sixth inning with no one out and Heather Haeflinger at the plate, KC Blahnik was ruled out at second base after failing to commit to stealing third base while the pitcher maintained possession of the baseball inside her glove while in the circle. The out proved to be costly later in the inning when Chelsea Coenen reached on an infield single and later came around to score on a single and error by Jenny LaLuzerne to pull the Muskies within one.

Earlier in the game, Blahnik broke the Lakeland career stolen bases record with her 12^th stolen base of the season, giving her a total of 45 steals in her four-year career.

Alverno (13-23, 7-13) pitcher Jessica Goetz was effective in shutting down the Lakeland offense in game one as the Muskies racked up 11 strikeouts for the third consecutive game. Goetz, the NAC leader in strikeouts this season with 197 entering play today, was 2-4 at the plate and drove in all three runs for the Inferno in the two run victory.

LaLuzerne was the only Lakeland (20-16, 13-7) player with multiple hits as the Muskies were able to record just five hits and a walk in the first game.

"We didn't put the ball in play very well," Lakeland head coach Chad Buchmann said. "We started getting confident at the plate in game two and the dam broke. Heather Haeflinger did a great job for us today getting our offense going. She can be extremely difficult for a defense to get out."

Lakeland jumped on Goetz in game two early, scoring two in the first and adding three in the third before knocking her out of the eventual 12-4 win.

Blahnik, Haeflinger, Coenen and LaLuzerne combined for 11 runs, 10 hits and eight RBI in the first four sports of the order to give Lakeland its first win in seven games.

Haeflinger came in to score a team-high three times after reaching on three hits and an error her first at bat. Coenen led the Muskies with four RBI with a 3-3 performance at the plate.

Erin Henk pitched all five innings in picking up the win for the Muskies, her third in five starts as she improved to 3-2 on the year. She allowed four runs, two earned, on seven hits with no walks and one strikeout.

Lakeland wraps up its 2010 home schedule on Friday, April 30. The Muskies will recognize their five seniors before a 3 p.m. doubleheader against Maranatha.

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