Laikyn Lowe connects for Grace College Tuesday on its road trip to Alabama. (Photo courtesy Jeff Nycz, Mid-South Images)

Grace softball and baseball both had successful showings Tuesday in play down south.

SOFTBALL SPLITS

Grace’s softball team split a doubleheader with William Woods on Tuesday afternoon in Orange Beach, Alabama.

Both games were pitching duels with the winner of each surrendering just one run. Grace won the opener 2-1 before losing in the second game 3-1.

The opening game saw the Owls (7-6) strike first. William Woods capitalized off a pair of Lady Lancer errors to go up 1-0 in the top of the first.

Grace (2-6) answered back in the bottom half of the second with a pair of runs. Morgan Tapscott led off the inning with bang, drilling a solo home run over the center field fence.

Freshman Laikyn Lowe then drew a walk to start a rally. Kaitlyn Heffner blasted a line drive, allowing pinch runner Caroline Kitchen to cross the plate for the go-ahead run.

Grace would threaten again in the third after Jaden Cardoso stole third base, but the Lady Lancers were unable to extend the lead.

Unable to find another run for the remainder of the game, the Lady Lancers relied on Dori Knight to bring home the win. Knight pitched all seven innings, allowing just five hits and no earned runs.

The second game again saw the pitchers dominate with neither team scoring until the fourth inning.

The Owls scored a pair runs off a one-out ground ball single that found its way to the outfield. William Woods extended the lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth.

Grace plated a run in the seventh to break up the shutout when Carly Ruiz singled in Lowe. The Lady Lancers had the potential game tying run at the plate, but Grace was unable to complete the comeback losing 3-1.

Jerri Ellis pitched all six innings for the Lady Lancers, striking out three.

For the day, Heffner went 3 for 7 with an RBI, and Lowe reached base four times during the doubleheader.

Grace will be in action again on Thursday as they take on Ave Maria (11-3).

BASEBALL TOPS SIENA HEIGHTS

Grace’s baseball team improved to 3-1 in Florida after a 7-4 victory against Siena Heights on Tuesday in Winter Haven, Florida.

The Lancers (4-7) used a balanced offensive production and strong pitching to outlast the Saints (0-13).

Both teams scored in the first inning, and the Saints led 3-2 after two innings.

Grace scored two runs in the bottom of the first when Chris Griffin and Alex Rich crossed home plate.

The Lancers took the lead with a two-run fourth, scoring on a two-run homer by Sam Newkirk. But the Saints rallied in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 4-4.

Grace manufactured three runs over the next two innings, and the Lancers’ pitching took care of the rest.

In the bottom of the sixth, Griffin singled to lead off the frame, and Rich was hit by a pitch. They were left on base as the next two Lancers were retired.

But David Anderson laced a two-out, two-run triple to give Grace the lead for good at 6-4.

The Lancers found an insurance run in the seventh thanks to a two-out RBI double from Newkirk.

Grace’s bullpen handled the rest of the game from the mound. Jake Decker, Mason Meyer and Bret Wilhelmi combined to pitch the final six innings, yielding just one run between them.

Decker struck out four in four innings, allowing one run and three hits to earn the victory. Wilhelmi tossed a scoreless ninth inning to record the save.

Newkirk finished the day 2 of 4 with one run and three RBIs, and Rich was hit by two pitches, scored twice and also had a hit.

The Lancers are back on the diamond Friday and Saturday for a three-game series with Bethel. The games will count as the first Crossroads League competitions of the season.