The Grand Valley State softball team kicked off the 2016 season in a strong way with a pair of in-region victories on Friday (Feb. 26) at the Lewis Dome Invitational in Rosemont, Ill. GVSU opened the year with a 4-3 win over Missouri S&T before coming back to take down Illinois Springfield in the nightcap, 7-5.

Both Laker victories came over opponents from the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC), as Grand Valley State moved to 2-0 on the new year. GVSU returns 16 letterwinners, its entire starting lineup, and its top three pitchers from last season's 32-17 team, getting off to a good start at the indoor tournament.

GVSU wasted little time in taking a lead in the 2016 season, scoring a pair of runs in its first at-bat against Missouri S&T (0-9 overall). Junior designated player Ellie Balbach laced a two-out, two-run single down the right field line to score both sophomore Teagan Shomin and senior McKenze Supernaw, who both singled earlier in the frame. The Lakers took a 2-0 lead into the second inning for senior righthander Sara Andrasik.

Andrasik allowed one hit in each of the first two innings and retired eight straight batters before issuing a leadoff walk in the top of the fifth inning. She stranded a pair of S&T runners in the fifth frame before GVSU brought home two more runs in the bottom of the stanza.

Supernaw was hit by a pitch to lead off the home half of the fifth and came home on a Balbach RBI double to left center field to make the score 3-0. Three batters later, Balbach came home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of senior Chelsea Horvath.

Ahead 4-0, Andrasik worked through a pair of two-out walks in the sixth inning before Missouri S&T finally got to the righty in the seventh. A two-out, two-run single was followed by another RBI single to make the score 4-3, but Andrasik forced a groundout to shortstop to end the game and preserve the win.

Andrasik (1-0) allowed three runs on seven hits, while walking three batters and striking out five Miners. Balbach went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI and Supernaw was 2-for-2 with a pair of runs scored. Junior left fielder Kelsey Dominguez was 2-for-2, while sophomore center fielder Kaylie Rhynard walked twice and went 1-for-2.

Against Illinois Springfield (3-8), the Lakers again got off to a fast start, jumping to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Supernaw's one-out double scored sophomore Teagan Shomin, who was hit by a pitch. As a freshman last season, Shomin was plunked 20 times, which set a new GVSU single-season and career record. A few batters later, freshman Shannon Flaherty delivered a two-out, two-run single up the middle, scoring Supernaw and junior Jenna Lenza.

The 3-0 Laker lead did not last long, as Illinois Springfield answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning and added four runs in the second off of sophomore righty Courtney Reinhold. She was replaced by freshman Allison Lipovsky, who got out of the inning with a strikeout on the first batter she faced in her GVSU career.

It took a few innings, but the Lakers responded after trailing 5-3. Shomin led off the top of the fifth with a single and immediately scored on a triple to right center field from Lenza. Supernaw followed with a run-scoring double to bring in Lenza and tie the game at 5-5. Meanwhile, Lipovsky recorded all three outs in the bottom of the fifth on strikeouts.

In the top of the sixth, Horvath led off with a single down the right field line before Rhynard reached base on a bunt single; both players moved up on an error on the play. Shomin singled down the left field line to score Horvath for the go-ahead run, while Rhynard also came in to cross home plate after a fielding error by UIS.

It was 7-5 in the Lakers' favor when Illinois Springfield put the leadoff batter on base with a single to start the seventh inning. Lipovsky responded by recording consecutive popups and a swinging strikeout to end the game. In relief of Reinhold, Lipovsky (1-0) tossed 5.1 innings of three-hit relief, not allowing a run. She struck out nine batters, while walking just one to get the first win of her Laker career.

Grand Valley State notched 14 base hits and had five players with multi-hit outings. Lenza and Flaherty led the way, as both players went 3-for-4; Lenza had a triple and scored twice, while Flaherty notched two RBI. Shomin, Supernaw, and Horvath all recorded two hits, as Shomin scored twice and Supernaw ripped a pair of doubles.

The Lakers will face Wisconsin-Parkside at 7:00 p.m. and follow with William Jewell at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday night.