Bitterly cold temperatures could not stop the Laker bats from staying warm on Saturday afternoon (Mar. 28) in Canton, Ohio, as Grand Valley State won its GLIAC opener on the road at Malone. GVSU jumped out to a 9-0 lead and held on for a 12-9 victory, as the temperatures stayed below freezing the entire game.

The teams were scheduled for a doubleheader, but game two was postponed due to the weather. At the start of game one, the temperature was announced as 25 degrees, which does not include the wind chill factor. The game may be played later in the season, but no rescheduled time or date has been set.

With the win, Grand Valley State moved to 15-5 on the year and 1-0 in league play. Malone drops to 2-7 overall and the Pioneers are 0-1 in the GLIAC. The Lakers will stay in Canton for a conference doubleheader against Walsh on Sunday (Mar. 29), starting at noon.

Eight different Lakers scored a run in the win, as GVSU plated a season-best 12 runs. The sixth inning was the only frame in which Grand Valley State did not score. GVSU scored multiple runs in the first, second, fourth, and fifth innings.

The scoring started early for Grand Valley State and it came from a pair of sophomores. Outfielder Kelsey Dominguez notched a one-out single and scored from first base on a double to center field off the bat of second baseman Jenna Lenza. Junior McKenze Supernaw drove in Lenza with a run-scoring single to give the Lakers a 2-0 advantage.

Junior Sara Andrasik did her job in the bottom of the first, retiring all three Pioneers in order. The Lakers added three more runs in their next at-bat. Freshman Teagan Shomin walked with one out. Dominguez followed with a double to left field, bringing Shomin around to score. Lenza then pushed the lead to 5-0 with a two-run home run, her third blast of the season. In game two against Aquinas on Thursday afternoon, Lenza homered to left field twice.

Leading 6-0 in the fourth inning, GVSU plated three more tallies. Sophomore Ellie Balbach roped a two-run single up the middle to score freshman Heather Sperlazzo (walk) and pinch runner Megan Downey (in for Supernaw, who also walked). 

Malone did score three runs in the bottom of the fourth, but two errors helped the Pioneers' cause. The Lakers were still on top 9-3 and used a Malone error in the fifth inning to bring home two more runs and jump ahead 11-3. 

Weather continued to be a factor, affecting pitchers for both teams. Malone scored in each of the final four innings. But GVSU had enough offense - including a leadoff home run from Supernaw in the seventh - to stay ahead on the scoreboard. It was Supernaw's first roundtripper of the year.

Dominguez finished the day with a 4-for-4 effort, totaling a double, two runs, and two RBI. Lenza's homer capped her 2-for-5 outing, as she added a double, three RBI, and a pair of runs. Supernaw was 2-for-4 with the home run, two ribbies, and two runs scored. 

Balbach delivered two RBI, while Sperlazzo scored twice. Shomin notched a painful record on Saturday. She was hit by a pitch in the third inning, which was the eighth time the rookie has been plunked this season. That is a new GVSU single season record, just 20 games into her collegiate career. Former Lakers Brittany Taylor, Briauna Taylor, and Maggie Kerrigan were all hit by seven pitches in a season to tie for the old mark.

Andrasik moved to 5-2 on the year with the victory. She allowed seven runs and five hits in 4.2 innings in awful weather conditions. The righty walked three hitters and struck out five batters. Balbach struck out four Pioneers in 2.1 innings of relief, giving up just one earned run.