A rematch of the 2016 Midwest Super Regional championship series provided two more great matchups between Grand Valley State and #18 Wayne State on Sunday (Apr. 2) in Detroit. The Warriors took the opener in a classic 1-0 pitcher's duel before GVSU bounced back to gain a split, winning 4-0 on another strong pitching effort.
 
It was the pitching combo of sophomore Allison Lipovsky and senior Ellie Balbach that helped Grand Valley State notch a split in the twinbill and nearly sweep Wayne State on its home field. In the GLIAC Preseason Coaches Poll, GVSU was chosen to win the conference title over Wayne State by just one point in the overall voting.
 
The teams met last May - also in Detroit - in the best-of-three Midwest Super Regional, with the winner advancing to the College World Series. Grand Valley State won the opener 5-4 and took game two by a 1-0 score to earn its third-ever College World Series appearance.
 
On Sunday, Lipovsky and Balbach combined to allow only five hits in 13.0 innings, issuing just one walk and recording 16 strikeouts against the Warriors. With the twinbill split, GVSU is 13-15 on the year and 3-5 in GLIAC play. Wayne State is 23-7 overall and 2-2 in conference action.
 
Game One (L, 1-0)
 
The opener provided a terrific pitcher's duel between the 2016 GLIAC Freshman of the Year (Lipovsky) and the 2016 GLIAC Player of the Year (Wayne State's Lyndsay Butler), who also was named the NFCA National Player of the Year. The final line for the counterparts read: 13.0 innings, seven hits, one run, zero walks, and 14 strikeouts on 174 total pitches.
 
After a 1-2-3 top of the first for the Lakers, WSU notched the only run of the game. A one-out hit by pitch to Allie Buchanan gave the Warriors a baserunner. Buchanan stole second base, moved to third on a single, and scored on a one-out base hit from Brooke Turkalj for the 1-0 edge.
 
Lipovsky settled into a strong groove after the back-to-back singles. The sophomore righty sat down the final two Warriors in the first inning and then worked four consecutive 1-2-3 innings, retiring 14 straight batters. In each of the second, third, fourth, and fifth innings, Lipovsky struck out at least two consecutive batters, including three swinging strikeouts in the second frame. Nine of the 12 outs Lipovsky recorded in those four innings came of the strikeout variety.
 
In the third inning, junior Jessica Ramos tallied a one-out double down the left field line and moved to third base on a groundout. She was stranded there, as Butler induced a flyout to keep the Lakers off the board.
 
GVSU had its best scoring opportunity in the top of the sixth inning. Junior Tanner Kiessel notched a one-out single up the middle, followed by an opposite field single from senior Janae Langs. Again, Butler escaped trouble with a strikeout and a groundout to keep it as a 1-0 game.
 
Sophomore Shannon Flaherty delivered a one-out single in the top of the seventh, but a fielder's choice and a strikeout ended the contest.
 
Lipovsky (5-3) was the hard-luck loser, as she allowed just one run on three hits in six innings of work. She struck out 10 batters and did not issue a walk, while tossing an 84-pitch gem. It is the third double-digit strikeout effort of the year for Lipovsky and her first outing without walking a batter. Butler (13-5) gave up four hits without a walk and struck out four Lakers on 90 pitches.
 
GVSU outhit Wayne State 4-3, with no player on either team having more than one hit. Ramos and Butler had the only extra base hits in the game, with one double apiece.
 
Game Two (W, 4-0)
 
Butler started game two in the circle for the Warriors, while Balbach took the ball for GVSU. A two-out single in the first inning for Wayne State was the only hit for either team in the opening two frames.
 
After back-to-back strikeouts in the top of the third, Balbach allowed a two-out single to Butler and a walk to put Butler into scoring position. But the lefty retired the next batter on a flyball out, keeping the game scoreless. The Lakers - and Balbach herself - followed in the home half of the third with the opening runs of the contest.
 
Senior Kelsey Dominguez led off with a single off of Butler, followed by a double from Kiessel for the Lakers' first real threat of the game. GVSU loaded the bases with two outs and Balbach singled on the first pitch to left field, but the Warrior outfielder misplayed the hit, allowing three runs - Langs, junior Teagan Shomin, and senior Jenna Lenza - to score and make it a 3-0 Laker edge.
 
Balbach went out to the circle and promptly set down the Warriors with a 1-2-3 fourth inning. Grand Valley State added an insurance run in the fourth when Ramos led off with a single, then was lifted for pinch runner Brooke Little.  She moved to second base on a wild pitch, then came into score on Langs' opposite field RBI single.
 
That would be more than enough run support for Balbach, who set down Wayne State in order in the final three innings, capping her day with a swinging strikeout to end the game. After the two-out walk in the third inning, Balbach did not allow another baserunner, retiring the final 13 batters she faced.
 
Now at 3-7, the lefty allowed just two hits and a walk, striking out six Warriors in 88 pitches. Balbach was also the only player in the game with more than one hit, as she went 2-for-2 with an RBI. Kiessel's double was the lone extra base hit in game two, while Flaherty laid down a pair of sacrifices.
 
Butler (13-6) took the loss for Wayne State, allowing three runs (one earned) in 3.0 innings of work. Megan Guitar gave up one run on four hits in 3.0 innings of relief for the Warriors.
 
GVSU will stay on the road on Wednesday (Apr. 5) against GLVC opponent Saint Joseph's, with first pitch at 3:00 p.m. ET.