Photo Gallery

The final regular season home doubleheader for Grand Valley State did not go as planned on Wednesday (Apr. 15) in Allendale, as visiting Saginaw Valley State took a pair of games from the Lakers. GVSU dropped both games of the twinbill, 10-4 and 9-1, to close out its 14-game homestand.

For the first time this season, Grand Valley State lost consecutive games. The Lakers are now 26-10 overall and 12-5 in GLIAC play, while Saginaw Valley State improves to 18-15 on the year and 8-4 in conference action. 

During the recent 14-game homestand - the team's only games at home this season - GVSU totaled a 10-4 record, which included a seven-game win streak. The team's final eight games are on the road, against Northwood (Thursday), Ferris State (Saturday), Findlay (next Friday), and Hillsdale (next Saturday). One make-up game from earlier in the season against Malone may be rescheduled, but that would also be a road game.

Saginaw Valley State brought plenty of offense to Wednesday's twinbill. Although the Cardinals scored in just five innings in the doubleheader, they plated four, three, three, four, and five runs in those innings.

In the opener, SVSU took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning, with the big blow being a three-run homer from catcher Amanda Best. The Lakers, however, quickly responded with three runs of their own. Sophomore Jenna Lenza ripped a double down the left field line to score freshman Teagan Shomin, who led off the inning with a walk. Sophomore Kelsey Dominguez - who also walked - then scored on an RBI groundout from junior McKenze Supernaw. Lastly, sophomore Ellie Balbach's single up the middle brought in Lenza to cut the deficit to 4-3.

GVSU tied the score at 4-4 in the third inning, as pinch runner Ali Vander Meer scored on a throwing error by the Cardinals. The Lakers, unfortunately, let a pair of runners on base in both the third and fourth innings and would not score again in game one. 

Saginaw Valley State took a 6-4 lead on a two-run single in the fifth inning, then pushed it to 7-4 on a bases loaded walk. Three more runs in the seventh inning capped the scoring for the visitors.

Junior Sara Andrasik took the loss, falling to 8-6 on the year. She allowed seven runs on 4.2 innings, while walking three and striking out three.

Lenza went 2-for-4 with a double, a run, and an RBI, while Supernaw was 2-for-3 with a ribbie. Shomin was officially 0-for-1, but scored a run, earned a walk, and was hit by two pitches. Already the single-season record holder, Shomin has now been hit by 16 pitches this season, only four shy of the GVSU career record.

The Lakers took a 1-0 lead in the third inning of game two. Shomin started things off with a sharp single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Lenza then smacked a single up the middle to score Shomin for the game's first run.

In the bottom of the third, SVSU's Mackenzie Rousse put the Cardinals on top 3-1 with a bases-clearing triple down the right field line. Rousse would later score on a sacrifice fly.

Saginaw Valley State added five more runs in the sixth inning for the mercy rule victory.

Freshman Courtney Reinhold dropped to 11-3. She gave up nine runs (five earned) in 5.1 innings pitched. Balbach pitched 2.2 innings of relief in the two games, allowing four hits and three runs in the two appearances.

Lenza had the only multi-hit contest in game two, going 3-for-3 with an RBI. Shomin went 1-for-2 and walked twice, getting on base six times in the two games despite having just one hit. 

The Lakers were slightly outhit in the two games, 17-13, but GVSU left 10 runners on base in each contest.

Grand Valley State travels to Midland for a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader with Northwood on Thursday (Apr. 15).