Timely hitting and solid efforts from all four Laker pitchers on the roster allowed Grand Valley State to sweep West Michigan rival Ferris State in the 2016 home opener on Tuesday (Apr. 5). The Lakers notched a pair of one-run victories over the previously unbeaten Bulldogs, as GVSU won 3-2 and 6-5 in Allendale.

Grand Valley State managed to win game one without notching an extra-base hit and neither team scored after the third inning of the opener. The Laker offense responded with three doubles - including a game-winning RBI two-bagger from senior McKenze Supernaw - and a homer to complete the sweep in game two. 

After the twinbill, GVSU improves to 20-6 on the season and 5-3 in GLIAC play. Ferris State drops its first league games of the season, as the Bulldogs are now 21-11 overall and 6-2 in conference action.

The opening inning in Allendale this season saw each team score (and commit an error) and leave five runners on base. Freshman Shannon Flaherty and junior Jenna Lenza scored on a fielder's choice and an error in the first inning to put the Lakers in front, 2-1. 

GVSU freshman righthander Allison Lipovsky stranded two more FSU runners in the second inning and got out of a bases loaded jam in the third, although the Bulldogs tied the score at 2-2 on a bases loaded walk. The Lakers immediately answered in the home half of the third when Lenza reached on a throwing error. Junior Ellie Balbach drilled a single to center field that was misplayed by the Bulldog outfielder. Lenza raced all the way around from first base to score what would be the last run of the game for either team.

Lipovsky exited the game midway through the fourth inning after taking a line drive to the leg. She was replaced by sophomore Courtney Reinhold, who was terrific in relief. Reinhold got the final out of the fourth inning and notched back-to-back-to-back swinging strikeouts in a 1-2-3 fifth inning. 

She issued a harmless two-out walk in the sixth inning before inducing a groundout. Leading 3-2 in the seventh, Reinhold notched a strikeout and a flyout on the first two Bulldog hitters. However, a double and an infield single appeared to be trouble for the Lakers before Reinhold fielded a weak popup to end the ballgame.

In 3.1 innings of relief, Reinhold allowed just the two base hits in the seventh inning. She walked one batter and struck out four, as she moves to 5-2 on the season. Lipovsky gave up two runs on four hits in 3.2 innings in the circle.

Balbach had three of the Lakers' six hits, all of which were singles. She was 3-for-3, while Flaherty, Lenza, and junior Janae Langs all singled. Lenza scored two of GVSU's three runs.

In game two, Grand Valley State scored in five of the seven innings, but four of those innings netted the Lakers just one run. Sophomore catcher Kaylie Rhynard reached on a bunt single to start the game, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, to third on a wild pitch, and came home on an RBI groundout from Lenza.

Leading off the secod inning, Langs drilled a pitch deep and over the right center field fence for a solo home run. It was the first collegiate home run for Langs, who was the starting point guard in the NCAA Elite Eight victory for the Laker women's basketball team over #18 Pittsburg State exactly two weeks ago. 

Following Langs' roundtripper, sophomore Teagan Shomin was hit by a pitch and later scored in the second inning, upping the lead to 3-0. GVSU's advantage grew to 4-0 when Shomin led off the fourth frame with a walk and scored on an RBI single from senior Chelsea Horvath. 

Ferris State chopped the deficit in half with a two-run homer from Bailey Darwin in the bottom of the fourth and knotted the game at 4-4 with a two-run single from Alexx Astorga in the fifth inning. That base hit chased Balbach - the game two starting pitcher - from the circle, as she allowed four runs on six hits in 4.1 innings.

In the sixth inning, Shomin reached on a one-out error and immediately came home two pitches later on a clutch RBI double from freshman Rachel Terwilliger to right center field. FSU answered in the bottom half of the inning with a solo homer from Emily Reed off of Reinhold, who entered in relief of Balbach. The Bulldogs went on to the bases off of Reinhold with just one out and she was replaced by Laker senior Sara Andrasik, who notched a nine-pitch strikeout and a groundball to escape the bases loaded jam.

Flaherty led off the seventh inning with a sharp single to left field. She moved to second on a sacrifice and to third on a groundout. Supernaw then delivered a clutch two-out run-scoring double to right center, easily bringing in Flaherty for the 6-5 lead.

Andrasik went through Ferris State 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh, with another nine-pitch strikeout, a groundout, and a comebacker to finish off the sweep. She pitched 1.2 innings of hitless relief and notched a pair of strikeouts in moving to 7-2 on the season.

Eight different Lakers recorded a hit in game two, led by Lenza and Horvath, who each went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Shomin was just 0-1 at the plate (with a walk and a hit by pitch), but she scored three of GVSU's six runs, crossing home plate during each of her three at-bats.

Grand Valley State is scheduled to host Northwood for a GLIAC twinbill on Thursday afternoon (Apr. 7) at 3:30 p.m.