GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – In a rare late-season non-conference matchup with their crosstown rivals from Aquinas, the Golden Eagles poured on 11 runs in the nightcap to salvage a split with a 7-0 setback in game one and 11-9 win in game two. The games were a makeup from a week ago and will send Cornerstone into their final WHAC DH of the season on Saturday at Siena Heights with an overall record of 16-14.
Game one
- Aquinas threatened from the very beginning against CU starter Ashley Loera but the Golden Eagles limited the damage with only one run in the top of the first
- The Saints would go on to score in the third, fourth and sixth innings to plate seven total runs
- The CU bats were extremely quiet as they mustered only one hit from McKenzie Butgereit
- Cornerstone saw 18 different position players get in the game while two pitchers – Loera and Ally Pohlad, got time in the circle
Game two
- The two teams combined for 20 runs and 24 hits in the nightcap as each team also struggled a little bit on defense, committing three errors each
- Cornerstone's bats came alive early in game two as they plated four runs in the top of the first, highlighted by a solo HR from Butgereit and double steal from Alicia Ontiveros and Bailey Anson
- CU added to their lead with four more runs in the third with RBI singles from Ontiveros, Abby Nachazel and Gabby Fundora. Morgan Murat plated a run with a SAC Fly
- AQ came right back with four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning and that started a back and forth, offensive slugfest
- CU got homeruns from Jocelyn Hernandez and Nachazel as they scored in every inning except the second and seventh
- Closer Kailin Hurrle came in to shut down the Saints in the final frame to seal the 11-9 win
By the numbers
4 – CU and Aquinas played four games this year all at CU with a total of 59 runs scored in all
1 – the win against Aquinas is the first for CU against their rival since 2016
16-14 – CU concludes their non-conference slate with 16 wins – it is the most since 2015 when the Golden Eagles posted 17 wins (in 34 games)
2 – Cornerstone has two regular season games remaining against Siena Heights on Saturday. CU is 8-10 in the WHAC (one wins gives CU their most wins in conference play since 2014)
What's next
Cornerstone travels to Siena Heights on Saturday for the regular season finale.