Friday (Mar. 24)
at Ohio Dominican (13-13, 0-0 GLIAC)
2:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m.
 
Saturday (Mar. 25)
at Ashland (7-10, 0-0 GLIAC)
10:00 a.m. & 12:00 p.m.
 
The Grand Valley State softball team begins GLIAC competition this weekend, as the Lakers are on the road in Ohio to play a pair of league doubleheaders. GVSU - chosen to win the GLIAC regular season title in the coaches' preseason poll - takes on Ohio Dominican and Ashland this weekend on a four-game road trip.
 
Originally scheduled for a Saturday-Sunday doubleheader, the schedule was modified due to potential rain in the weekend forecast. The Ohio Dominican twinbill originally scheduled for Sunday (Mar. 26) was moved to Friday (Mar. 24), with game one starting at 2:00 p.m. Saturday's (Mar. 25) doubleheader at Ashland was moved earlier in the day in an attempt to stay ahead of inclement weather; game one will begin at 10:00 a.m.
 
It is the first set of GLIAC games for all 12 teams in the league. Grand Valley State enters the weekend with an 8-10 conference record, while Ohio Dominican is 13-13 overall and Ashland owns a 7-10 record on the year.
 
The Lakers went 3-1 on their season-opening trip to the Lewis Dome Tournament on Feb. 24-25, posting shutouts in three of their four games and winning those contests by a combined 17-0 score. GVSU struggled during its annual Spring Break trip to Clermont, Fla. on Mar. 5-11, but was able to bounce back on Sunday (Mar. 19) in a non-league road twinbill against Purdue Northwest.
 
While Purdue Northwest was a non-conference opponent this season, the Pride will join the GLIAC next season - along with Davenport. The Lakers were able to sweep the Pride by scores of 7-0 and 6-0, tallying a 22-6 edge in base hits in the victories. In the 7-0 game one victory, GVSU jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the second inning and scored in five of its seven at-bats. While the Lakers scored in just two innings of game two's 6-0 win, one of those frames was the five-run fifth inning that turned a 1-0 lead into a 6-0 cushion.
 
Obviously in a pair of shutout victories, the GVSU pitching was terrific. Sophomore Allison Lipovsky notched 11 strikeouts in the opener - one shy of her career-best - and allowed just two hits and a walk in her complete game victory. Junior transfer Allie Grys followed in the nightcap with a four-hit shutout, as the newcomer gave up four hits and two walks, to go with five strikeouts. 12 of the outs Grys recorded came on flyballs or popups.
 
The Laker offense was solid throughout, with six players collecting two or more hits in the doubleheader sweep. Senior Ellie Balbach and junior Teagan Shomin both went 4-for-7 with two doubles apiece in the twinbill. Balbach drove in two runs and Shomin scored twice. Senior Jenna Lenza collected four RBI and three hits, while junior Kaylie Rhynard scored three runs and posted three hits.
 
GVSU collected six doubles in the victories and allowed just one extra base hit - a double - in the wins. Perhaps more importantly, the Laker defense was flawless, not committing an error in 52 total chances on Sunday.
 
The surplus of doubles has been common to this year's team, as Grand Valley State is second in the conference in doubles (34) and third in both team batting average (.306) and slugging percentage (.425). GVSU's on-base percentage of .357 and extra base hits (44) are both fourth-best in the league. In the circle, the Lakers' team earned run average of 2.64 and five shutouts are both second-best in conference play entering the opening weekend.
 
Ohio Dominican posted an impressive 7-3 record at the NTC Spring Games in Clermont, Fla., the same location in which GVSU played during its Spring Break trip. That showing followed a 5-7 record at a pair of separate tournaments in February. Most recently, the Panthers dropped a non-conference doubleheader at Indianapolis on Wednesday (Mar. 22), falling by scores of 4-1 and 6-0.
 
The Panthers rank last in the GLIAC in both batting average (.253) and strikeouts (125), while their on-base percentage (.303) and slugging percentage (.330) are both second-lowest among conference opponents. Interestingly enough, ODU has the second-most hits (179) and the fourth-most walks (47) of any team.
 
Ashland played in the same two opening season tournaments as GVSU, with the Eagles going 2-3 at the Lewis Dome Invitational and followed up with a 5-7 mark in Clermont, Fla. at the Spring Games tournament. Prior to facing Grand Valley State on Saturday, Ashland will take on Notre Dame College on Thursday (Mar. 24) and Ferris State on Friday (Mar. 25).
 
The Eagles are last in the league in on-base percentage (.297) and slugging percentage (.318), while also owning the fewest extra base hits (18) of any team. Their .262 batting average is eighth among GLIAC teams and their 3.28 team earned run average is fifth in the conference.
 
After the weekend twinbills, GVSU returns to Allendale for its home opener on Tuesday (Mar. 28) against Lewis. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. against the Flyers.