LocalSportsJournal.com
The No. 4 ranked (Div. 4) Spring Lake softball team faced one of its biggest challenges of the season at the Michigan Blue Chip Tournament at Byron Center on Saturday. 
The Lakers faced three skilled opponents and walked away with a 1-2 record on the day and its first two losses of the season. Spring Lake’s record is now 29-2, which is a new school record for most wins in a single season.
The Lakers fell 4-2 to No. 3 ranked (Div. 4) Kalamazoo Christian in their opening game and then turned around and lost to O-K Red champion Grandville, 14-3. In their third game, Spring Lake topped No. 8 (Div. 2) Portland 11-8.
Spring Lake was snake bitten against Kalamazoo which hit a 2-run homer in the top of the seventh to defeat the Lakers. Lauren Hellman and Lauren Somers each had RBIs in the loss.
Lakers’ pitcher Madelyn Nelson took the loss, allowing two earned runs and striking out four.
In the Laker’s lopsided loss to Grandville, Katie Mumby posted three hits and Ann Marie Galloway added two. Madelyn Nelson led off the game with a solo home run, her fourth of the season.
Tied after regulation, Spring Lake broke its losing streak on the day against Portland with three runs in the eighth inning. Galloway posted three hits while Nelson, Mumby and Jenna Core had two hits apiece.
Maddison Dinneweth had two hits and drove in Spring Lake’s first three runs of the game.
Nelson posted the win in relief for Spring Lake which hosts No. 9 ranked (Div. 1) Grand Haven for a 4:15 p.m. doubleheader on Wednesday.
