Lake Erie College Athletics


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Lake Erie College
391 W. Washington St.
Painesville, OH 44077
(440) 375-7000




2004 Softball
News

Three Transfers, 18 Total New Faces for Softball
July 10 - The Lake Erie College softball team, under the direction of third-year Head Coach Gary VanCauwenberge, will add 18 players, including three transfers, for the 2004-05 school year.

Sarah Newman (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor), a 2001 Mentor graduate joins the Storm after leaving Kentucky Christian College while 2003 Riverside graduates Kristen Serger (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) and Sarah Shikner (Thompson, Ohio/Riverside) come in from Lakeland Community College and Wittenberg University.

Meanwhile, the 14 remaining recruits (listed below) will team with the transfers to try and improve on the Storm's 5-25 record from last season.

Softball Commitents:
Erica Anthony (Jefferson, Ohio/Jefferson)
Tiffany Burrell (Cincinnati, Ohio/Northwest)
Stephanie Cutler (Orwell, Ohio/Grand Valley)
Ashley Dotzenrod (Chatfield, Minn./Chosen Valley)
Becca Gilbert (Fredericksburg, Ohio/Tri Valley)
Sabrina Grande (Willoughby, Ohio/South)
Megan Hedrick (Geneva, Ohio/Geneva)
Lindsey Hennon (Massillon, Ohio/Washington)
Molly Kuhnz (Oshkosh, Wis./Lourdes)
Sarah Newman (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) - transfer from Kentucky Christian College
Erin Pinkston (Madison, Ohio/Perry)
Jamie Saylor (Fostoria, Ohio/Walnut Ridge)
Kristen Serger (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) - transfer from Lakeland Comm. College
Amy Shaffer (Warren, Ohio/JFK)
Sarah Shikner (Thompson, Ohio/Riverside) - transfer from Wittenberg University
Erin Slane (Chardon, Ohio/Chardon)
Shaina Vanderpool (Kingston, Ohio/Chillicothe)

Valerie Williams (Avon Lake, Ohio/Avon Lake)

VanCauwenberge Named Co-Coach of the Year, Two Softball Players Honored
May 4 - Lake Erie College softball Head Coach Gary VanCauwenberge was named the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Co-Coach of the Year while two Storm softball players, senior Nicole Ford and freshman Jen Dodge, earned all-conference honors.

After finishing 1-25 (0-12 in AMCC play) last season, VanCauwenberge, who finished his second season in charge of the softball program, led the Storm to a 5-25 overall record this year while finishing 1-11 in conference play. The AMCC win was the College's first conference win in seven years of softball competition.

VanCauwenberge shared the award with Frostburg State Head Coach Chris Starke, who led the Bobcats to a league title with an 11-1 AMCC (26-13 overall) record.

Meanwhile, Ford (Madison, Ohio/Madison) was selected as a second-team outfielder and Dodge (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) earned honorable mention accolades as a catcher.

Ford finished second on the team with a .338 (.313 in conference) batting average while batting ninth for the majority of the season. Her 12 RBI were also second best on the team.

Dodge, who caught a league-high eight runners stealing, led the Storm in hits, runs and doubles and finished third on the team with a .323 average.

Softball Season Ends with Two Losses at Thiel
Apr. 29 - The Lake Erie College softball season closed with two losses at Thiel. The Storm dropped the first game 8-0 and lost 1504 in the nightcap. Freshmen Kris Trifiletti (Concord, Ohio/Riverside), Kristen Kolenda (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) and Christina Griffeth (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) each totaled two hits on the day.

Lake Erie (5-25) mustered only four hits, two off the bat of Griffeth, in the first game, which lasted only five innings. Thiel posted five runs in the third inning and another three over the fourth and fifth to earn the eight-run rule victory. Trifiletti added a double in the loss.

Elizabeth Chamberlain (Risingsun, Ohio/Elmwood) finished her freshman campaign on the mound with a 2-14 record.

In the second game, Kolenda collected two hits, including a double, and had the Storm's only RBI, but the Tomcats 12-0 lead after three innings could not be overcome. Trifiletti connected for her second hit in the losing effort while junior pitcher Tammy LaMarca (Cleveland, Ohio/John Marshall) dropped to 2-9 on the year.

Rally Falls Short in Opener, Softball Drops Both in Doubleheader
Apr. 24 - Freshman pitcher Liz Chamberlain (Risingsun, Ohio/Elmwood) tossed a complete game five hitter, but the Lake Erie College softball failed to score runs in a 3-2 loss at Frostburg State in the first game of an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference doubleheader.

Frostburg State scored the first of runs of the game in the second inning when a passed ball scored Stephanie Zych from third base. A single to center field by Sarah Savoye scored Amanda Griswold to give the Bobcats a 2-0 lead. Frostburg added one more run the following inning, which accounted for their final total.

Lake Erie (5-23, 1-11) failed to score until the fourth inning when freshman Kris Trifilletti (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) lined a single to center field scoring fellow freshman Jen Dodge (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside), pulling to within 2 runs.

The Storm had a chance to win in the bottom of the seventh inning. A single by freshman Kristen Kolenda (Pittsburgh, Pa/Carrick) scored junior Tammy LaMarca (Cleveland, Ohio/John Marshall), but a fly out in the next at bat ended the contest.

Chamberlain limited Frostburg State to just one hit after the third inning.

In the second game the Storm again failed to generate offense, falling to Frostburg state by the score of, 6-0.

The Bobcats got on top of Lake Erie early, scoring 2 runs each in the first and second innings. They added two more insurance runs in the sixth inning.

Chamberlain, after pitching a solid first contest, led the Storm offensively pounding out two hits in just 3 at bats.

The Storm left six runners on base.

Lake Erie will end its season with a non-conference road game against Thiel on Thursday, Apr. 29, at 3:00 p.m.

Softball Splits; Earns First Conference Victory in Three Years
Apr. 20 - The Lake Erie women's softball game won their first Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference game in three years, defeating Penn State-Altoona in the second game of a home doubleheader. After being two-hit by Altoona pitcher Dana Garman in the first game, the Storm rallied back from the 9-0 defeat to win the second contest, 8-6.

Lake Erie jumped out to a 2-1 first inning advantage in the second game and never relinquished that lead for the rest of the contest.

Freshman Sarah Miller (Covington, Ky./Holmes) singled, scoring fellow freshman Kristen Kolenda (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) from third base, and an error later in the same inning by Altoona pitcher Dana Garman allowed Miller to score, making it 2-1.

Three consecutive singles highlighted a productive fourth inning, as the Storm hammered out four hits and scored four runs to take a 7-3 lead.

Altoona countered with three runs in the fifth inning, but Lake Erie brought in Miller to close, and she held Altoona scoreless in the sixth and seventh innings to secure the victory. Junior Tammy LaMarca (Cleveland, Ohio/John Marshall) improved to 2-7 from the mound in the win.

Jen Dodge (Painesville, Ohio), a freshman, and Miller each collected three hits for the Storm. Miller added four RBI.

Dodge and Kolenda collected the only Storm hits in the first game.

The Storm will travel to Frostburg State on Saturday, Apr. 24 for their final AMCC doubleheader of the season. The first game is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.

Storm on Losing End of Two One-Run Conference Games
Apr. 17 - Despite a five-hit day by freshman Christina Griffeth (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs), the Lake Erie College softball team lost two Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference games at Pitt-Greensburg, falling 5-4 and 4-3.

Lake Erie (4-20, 0-8) knotted the first game at three in the third inning, and the score would remain tied until Greensburg sophomore Amy Newland doubled home the winning run in the bottom of the seventh.

Griffeth went 2-for-3 in the first game of the doubleheader while fellow freshman Elizabeth Chamberlain (Risingsun, Ohio/Elmwood), who dropped to 2-11 on the year from the mound, collected two RBI in the losing effort.

In the second game, the Storm took a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth but could not secure the lead, surrendering two runs on no hits in the inning.

Griffeth had three hits and a RBI while Chamberlain, junior Tammy LaMarca (Cleveland, Ohio/John Marshall), who went to 1-7 on the year from the mound, and freshmen Jen Dodge (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) and Kris Trifiletti (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) each contributed two hits in the losing effort.

Lake Erie will host Altoona on Tuesday, Apr. 20, in another AMCC match-up. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m.

Lake Erie Splits Non-Conference Doubleheader
Apr. 14 - Freshman Kris Trifiletti (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) had three hits and three RBI, and Jen Dodge (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) added two hits and two RBI to lead Lake Erie in a 7-5 non-conference win over Medaille College.

A three run first inning set the tone for Lake Erie (4-18) as Dodge, a freshman, doubled scoring fellow freshmen Kristen Kolenda (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) and Christina Griffeth (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs). Two batters later, Trifiletti singled scoring Dodge from second base.

Medaille answered with a five run second inning but was held scoreless by Storm pitcher Tammy LaMarca (Cleveland, Ohio/John Marshall), a junior, for the remainder of the contest.

The score was tied at five for three innings until a two run single off the bat of Trifiletti in the bottom of the sixth inning ultimately gave Lake Erie the victory.

In the first game of the doubleheader, Medaille defeated Lake Erie by an identical score of 7-5.

The Storm once again came out strong, scoring three runs in the first inning off of Trifiletti's lone hit of the game, a single.

Lake Erie held a 4-3 advantage after four innings after a Nicole Ford single broke the tie but the Mavericks responded, scoring two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings for the win.

That type of first inning run production did not continue as the Storm scored only two more runs over the final six innings.

Medaille nearly doubled Lake Erie's hit total by a tally of 13-6.

In search of their first league win, the Storm will resume Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference play on Saturday, Apr. 17, at Pitt-Greensburg. The doubleheader will begin at 1:00 p.m.

Miller and Dodge Lead Storm in Split with Case
Apr. 12 - After collecting a single hit in a 13-1 loss against Case Western Reserve in the first game of a doubleheader, the Lake Erie softball team, led by freshmen Sarah Miller (Covington, Ky./Holmes) and Jen Dodge (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside), defeated the Spartans, 5-3.

Case junior Jaclyn Rutherford threw a one-hitter, surrendering a home run to Miller, in the first game and received plenty of offensive support, including a seven run seventh inning, en route to victory.

However, the Storm capitalized on costly Spartan errors while also collecting nine hits in the second contest. Lake Erie (3-17) scored three runs in the first inning thanks to three errors by Case and followed with one-run innings in the second and third. In all, the Spartans committed five errors and gave up five hits over the first three.

Dodge led all players with four hits, including a double, while also driving in a run in the win. Miller and fellow freshmen Kris Trifiletti (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) and Kristen Kolenda (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) each added a hit and a RBI for the Storm.

Meanwhile, Miller threw a complete game seven-hitter to improve to 1-1 on the year from the mound. Rutherford gave up four runs over one and a third innings to earn the loss.

Storm Softball Swept by Bradford
Apr. 9 - The Lake Erie College softball team lost its fifth and sixth Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference games, falling, 8-4 and 6-0, at home versus Pitt-Bradford.

In the first contest Lake Erie (2-16, 0-6) took a 1-0 lead after one inning, but freshman starter Elizabeth Chamberlain (Risingsun, Ohio/Elmwood) gave up three runs in the top of the third inning, giving Bradford a lead it would never relinquish.

Trailing 8-2 heading to the last half of the seventh inning, the Storm put up two runs, but all thoughts of a rally were struck short. Freshmen Kristen Kolenda (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick), Sarah Miller (Covington, Ky./Holmes) and Kris Trifiletti (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) each collected two hits in the loss. Miller, who had a double, added two RBI.

Bradford controlled the second contest, as freshman Kristy Zavinski threw a complete game, four-hit shutout. No Storm player totaled multiple hits while Chamberlain dropped to 2-8 on the year from the mound.

Lake Erie will host Case Western Reserve on Monday, Apr. 12, at 3:00 p.m. in a doubleheader.

Softball Loses Conference Doubleheader
Apr. 8 - The Lake Erie College softball team lost both games in an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference home doubleheader versus La Roche. The Redhawks topped the Storm, 6-1 and 7-6.

La Roche got out to an early 4-0 lead in the first game while freshman pitcher Brittany Haggerty limited Lake Erie (2-14, 0-4) to five hits over the seven-inning contest.

Freshman Kristen Kolenda (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) led the Storm with two hits and a RBI while freshman pitcher Elizabeth Chamberlain (Risingsun, Ohio/Elmwood) dropped to 2-6 on the season.

Lake Erie took a 4-3 lead into the fourth inning of the second game, but La Roche put up four runs on four hits to regain a lead it held after two and half innings. Haggerty, who relieved fellow freshman Amanda Bressler in the third inning, did not allow a run and gave up only one hit in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. However, the Storm rallied in the bottom of the seventh with two runs on doubles by freshman Sarah Miller (Covington, Ky./Holmes) and senior Elisha Crutcher (Lorain, Ohio/Lorain Southview), but the comeback was stalled.

Miller, freshman Kris Trifiletti (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) and senior Nicole Ford (Madison, Ohio/Madison) each had two hits to lead Lake Erie.

The Storm will host Pitt-Bradford in another conference doubleheader tomorrow, Friday, Apr. 9, beginning at 3 p.m.

Chamberlain Leads Storm to Split with Hilbert
Apr. 7 - After battling through five innings on the mound in the first of two games, which ended in a 5-4 Lake Erie College extra-inning loss, with Hilbert College, Elizabeth Chamberlain (Risingsun, Ohio/Elmwood) responded with a 3-for-4 performance, which included her first career home run, and pitched six innings of four-hit ball to lead the Storm to a 7-2 win over the visiting Hawks.

Chamberlain knotted the second game at one with a towering blast to left field and then proceeded to dominate from the mound, giving up only three hits, including two bunt singles, over the following five innings. The freshman added two more hits and totaled four RBI in the win. Fellow freshman Christina Griffeth (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) added three hits while Kris Trifiletti (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) and Jen Dodge (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside), also freshmen, collected two hits each.

Junior Tammy LaMarca (Cleveland, Ohio/John Marshall), who fell to 0-4 on the year in the first game, pitched the final inning to secure the Lake Erie (2-12) victory.

In the first game, Hilbert jumped out to a 2-0 lead after two innings and took a 3-1 advantage heading into the bottom of the sixth. However, the Storm put up two runs in the inning. Sarah Miller (Covington, Ky./Holmes), a freshman, tripled home Dodge who had doubled earlier in the inning. Miller also scored on the play following a throwing error by the centerfielder.

After a scoreless seventh, the Hawks registered two runs in the first extra inning, and held Lake Erie to one.

The Storm will host La Roche tomorrow, Thursday, Apr. 8, at 2:30 in an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference doubleheader.

Lake Erie Loses Two in Conference Opener
Apr. 5 - The Lake Erie College softball, playing at its home Hitchcock Field as visitors to Penn State-Behrend due to inclement weather in Erie, dropped its first two Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference games of the season.

Behrend (5-15, 5-1) scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 3-3 tie in the first game en route to a 6-4 victory. Loriel Herist and Kristin Macha, both freshmen, each had two hits while Stephanie Covert picked up the win on the mound. Senior Nicole Ford (Madison, Ohio/Madison) led Lake Erie (1-11, 0-2) with three hits and two RBI. Freshmen Christina Griffeth (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs), who had a double, and Jen Dodge (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) each added two hits.

Freshman Elizabeth Chamberlain (Risingsun, Ohio/Elmwood) threw a complete game but dropped to 1-5 on the season. The Storm never led in the game.

The Lions proved to be too much for Lake Erie in the second game, blanking the Storm, 13-0 in five innings. Behrend scored 10 runs in the second inning, and senior Becky Corbin held the Storm to two hits to lead the host Lions to victory. Macha went 3-for-3 with two doubles and four RBI to pace Behrend's offensive attack while sophomore Jillian Woolridge also turned in a 3-for-3 performance.

Tammy LaMarca (Cleveland, Ohio/John Marshall), a junior, and Dodge accounted for the only Lake Erie hits.

The Storm return to action on Wednesday, April 7 at 3:00 p.m., hosting Hilbert in a non-conference doubleheader.

Lake Erie Softball Lose Last Three on Texas Trip
March 9 - The Lake Erie College softball team lost all three games it played today, falling, 5-4, against the University of Dallas, 9-3 against Nebraska Wesleyan and 9-1 in the finale versus Thomas More.

Freshman Elizabeth Chamberlain (Risingsun, Ohio/Elmwood) pitched her third consecutive complete game, and second against Dallas, in the 5-4 loss, but gave up four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, losing the Storm's three-run lead and, ultimately, the game. Fellow freshman Sarah Miller (Covington, Ky./Holmes) and senior Nicole Ford (Madison, Ohio/Madison) each had three hits for the Storm.

Lake Erie (1-9) also lost for the second time against Nebraska Wesleyan. Junior Tammy LaMarca (Cleveland, Ohio/John Marshall) went to 0-4 as a starter after allowing nine runs, five of which were earned, in the first three innings. Miller and another freshman, Kris Trifiletti (Concord, Ohio/Riverside), finished with two hits. Both of Miller's were doubles.

In its final game on the Texas swing, Lake Erie mustered a single run against Thomas More in shortened contest. The Saints scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth to go up 9-1, and the game was called. Crystal Limpert (Cleveland, Ohio/John Marshall), a sophomore, leading the Storm with two hits.

Lake Erie will return home but have over a week off before playing again. They will travel to Thiel on Saturday, March 20 for a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 1:00.

Softball Gets First Win, Drops Nightcap
March 8 - The Lake Erie College softball team avenged last night's 9-7 loss against the University of Minnesota-Morris with a 6-2 victory in the first of two Storm games played at the University of Dallas today.

Elizabeth Chamberlain (Risingsun, Ohio/Elmwood) pitched another complete game, this time earning her first career win. The freshman gave up two runs on six hits in seven innings of work while fellow freshman Sarah Miller (Covington, Ky./Holmes) went 3-for-3 and knocked in two runs to lead the offensive attack.

Lake Erie (1-6) went up 3-0 in the top of the first inning and stretched their lead to 6-2 heading into the final half an inning. Chamberlain struck out the first Morris batter and, after a single and two wild pitches, settled down to retire the final two hitters.

Freshman Jen Dodge (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) also collected three hits for Lake Erie.

In its second game, Lake Erie lost, 14-2, against Thomas More in five innings. The Saints posted 12 runs in the first two innings and held the Storm to two runs on eight hits the rest of the way. Chamberlain and Dodge each had two hits for Lake Erie while junior pitcher Tammy LaMarca (Cleveland, Ohio/John Marshall) dropped to 0-3 on the season.

The Storm will play their final three games on the Texas trip tomorrow, Tuesday, March 9, starting with an 11:00 a.m. rematch against host Dallas.

Storm Fall In First Three Games at Dallas
March 7 - Elizabeth Chamberlain (Risingsun, Ohio/Elmwood), a freshman, pitched her first career complete game, but the Lake Erie College softball team lost, 5-3, against University of Dallas.

After scoring twice in the bottom of the first, Dallas walked in two Storm runs to draw things even. However, the Crusaders scored twice in the third and once in the fifth to widen their lead, and Lake Erie (0-5) could not finish a comeback that produced one run in the top of the seventh inning.

Freshman Jen Dodge (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) collected two hits to lead the Storm while Chamberlain dropped to 0-2 on the season with the loss.

In their second game, Lake Erie managed only one run on six hits in four innings while Nebraska Wesleyan posted 15 runs on eight hits to earn the win.

Kristen Kolenda (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick), a freshman, was the only Storm player to total multiple hits (two singles). Junior pitcher Tammy LaMarca (Cleveland, Ohio/John Marshall) went to 0-2 on the season.

The Storm took the University of Minnesota-Morris the entire seven innings in their nightcap; however, Lake Erie lost again, this time by a final of 9-7.

Dodge earned the loss after allowing six runs in the opening two innings, but the Storm rallied in the top of the third to tie the game at six. Lake Erie put up five runs on five hits, including RBI singles by freshman Christina Griffeth (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs), LaMarca, and senior Nicole Ford (Madison, Ohio/Madison).

However, a two-run sixth inning by Morris secured the win.

Lake Erie will play two games tomorrow, Monday, March 8, in the round robin tournament at Dallas, beginning with a 6:00 rematch against Minnesota-Morris.

Softball Drops Two 8-0 Decisions in Season-Opening Doubleheader
March 6 - The Lake Erie College softball team began its Texas trip with two 8-0 losses at Texas Wesleyan.

In its first game, the Storm was no-hit by freshman Maria Morones, who improved to 2-2 on the season. Her freshman counterpart Elizabeth Chamberlain (Risingsun, Ohio/Elmwood) threw for five innings, surrendering six runs on six hits.

Junior Tammy LaMarca (Cleveland, Ohio/John Marshall) pitched three shutout innings to start the second game, but the Rams put three runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the lead. Lake Erie (0-2) left five runners on base throughout the game, two of which were in scoring position. Freshman Tara Sharp improved to 2-0 on the year, earning the win for Texas Wesleyan (8-5), while LaMarca was credited with the loss.

The Storm will play three games tomorrow at the University of Dallas, facing Dallas at 8:00 a.m., Nebraska Wesleyan at 10:00 a.m. and University of Minnesota-Morris at 8:00 p.m.