The Grand Valley State softball team dropped a GLIAC doubleheader at Northwood on Thursday (Apr. 16), with the Timberwolves winning both games by a run. GVSU rallied from a 5-0 deficit in the opener, but fell 7-6 in nine innings, before Northwood took game two by a 5-4 final.
 
With the setback, GVSU is now 26-12 on the season and 12-7 in conference play. The Lakers look to snap their season-high four-game losing streak at Ferris State on Saturday afternoon (Apr. 17). Northwood's sweep puts the Timberwolves at 13-18 overall, but 10-6 in GLIAC action.
 
The Timberwolves jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the opener, scoring five runs on six hits in the bottom of the third inning. GVSU got two runs back in the fourth, with freshmen Heather Sperlazzo and Kaylie Rhynard each collecting an RBI to trim the deficit to 5-2.
 
Northwood upped the lead to 6-2 by scoring a run in the bottom of the fourth without a base hit. However, the Lakers were able to tie things up on just two pitches.
 
Freshman Teagan Shomin and sophomore Kelsey Dominguez recorded back-to-back one-out singles. Two batters later, junior McKenze Supernaw crushed a two-out three-run homer to left field to cut the score to 6-5. On the very next pitch, sophomore Ellie Balbach followed with a solo home run to left center field to tie the score at 6-6.
 
Balbach started the game as the designated player, but relieved Laker starter Sara Andrasik in the third inning and kept GVSU in the game. After the Lakers tied the score, neither team had a great scoring chance for the next few innings. Both Northwood and Grand Valley State had a runner reach third base with two outs in separate innings, but the score remain deadlocked.
 
Neither team scored in the eighth inning and the Lakers were unable to bring Shomin around after her one-out double in the ninth inning, but Northwood closed the game with a one-out walk-off single in the home half of the ninth.
 
Balbach was unfortunately saddled with the loss, pushing her record to 7-2 on the season. In 5.2 solid innings of relief, the lefty allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits, while striking out four T'Wolves.
 
Shomin, Dominguez, and Sperlazzo each collected two hits, while Dominguez scored twice and Supernaw drove in three runs with her roundtripper.
 
Northwood again scored first in game two, plating a run in its first at-bat. The Lakers knotted the score in the second inning, as Shomin's RBI infield single scored Balbach, who led off the frame with a walk.
 
Freshman Courtney Reinhold retired six straight batters in the third and fourth innings, allowing GVSU to take the lead with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Shomin again came through with another two-out infield single, as Rhynard scored on this hit to give the Lakers a 2-1 lead.
 
Dominguez followed with a single through the left side of the infield to score both sophomore Janae Langs (who also reached on a single) and Shomin to make the score 4-1.
 
In the top of the fifth inning, the whole game changed on one swing. The Timberwolves' Lindsay Obremski came up with the bases loaded and two outs and Obremski hit a grand slam to put Northwood back on top, 5-4. It was the only extra base hit for either team in game two.
 
GVSU managed just one hit and a walk in its final three at-bats, as Northwood clinched the sweep.
 
Reinhold (11-4) allowed five runs on five hits in seven innings. The righthander walked three and struck out two Timberwolves.
 
Shomin and Langs each recorded a pair of hits, while Shomin and Dominguez both drove in a pair of runs. The Lakers outhit Northwood, 8-5.