Needing to win just one game to claim the 2017 GLIAC regular season championship on Saturday (Apr. 29) in University Center, Mich., the Lakers went ahead and won both games against #22 Saginaw Valley State. GVSU collected a pair of back-and-forth victories, winning the opener 5-3 and held on for a 7-6 victory in a nightcap that was called early due to darkness.
 
With the wins, Grand Valley State - the preseason pick to win the conference championship - did exactly that. The Lakers pushed their winning streak to 19 consecutive games (two shy of the second-longest win streak in school history) and improved to 31-15 on the year. GVSU finished the regular season at 17-5 in GLIAC play, capturing the 14th conference title in program history.
 
The Lakers finished three games ahead of Saginaw Valley State in the league standings, though GVSU started the day just one game ahead of the Cardinals. SVSU closes out the regular season at 31-14 and 14-8 in league play. Wayne State - picked to finish as conference runner-up (by just one point in the preseason coaches' poll behind the Lakers) - ended up second in the conference at 15-7, two games behind Grand Valley State.
 
Saturday's wins clinched the sixth GLIAC regular season title for the Lakers since 2001 and the first since the 2013 team, which was a back-to-back winner from the 2012 campaign. The 14th conference championships are the most by any GLIAC team.
 
GVSU's wins are even more important on the regional scale, as the Lakers entered the week in ninth place in the NCAA Midwest Region rankings. The top eight teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament in two weeks. Saginaw Valley State was in third place in the standings, so the sweep for the Lakers are even bigger victories than usual.
 
April was a good month for Grand Valley State, as the Lakers finished the month with a 20-2 record, including the current 19-game win streak. This is the seventh straight year that GVSU has eclipsed the 30-win plateau and the 22nd time in program history the Lakers have won at least 30 games.
 
Game One (W, 5-3)
 
The opener looked to be a pitcher's duel between two of the league's top hurlers in GVSU's Allison Lipovsky and SVSU's Sam Willman. Both pitchers dominated in the beginning of the contest, but each allowed a two-out, two-run double in the middle of the game.
 
Lipovsky had retired the first eight Cardinals in order - five on strikeouts - before SVSU used a single, a walk, and the two-run double to take a 2-0 edge in the bottom of the third inning.
 
The Lakers immediately responded, as senior Jenna Lenza and freshman Kelcie LaTour opened the fourth with consecutive singles. Both runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt and were at second and third base with two outs. Senior Kelsey Dominguez - who is a recent Laker celebrity after accepting a marriage proposal at the conclusion of Friday night's home games - delivered a game-tying two-run double to left field, scoring Lenza and pinch runner Brooke Little.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Lipovsky allowed a one-out walk, but tallied three swinging strikeouts in the frame. She also notched a 1-2-3 fifth inning to keep the game tied, 2-2.
 
GVSU took the lead in the sixth inning. Lenza walked and sophomore Shannon Flaherty did the same two batters later. Senior Ellie Balbach's single loaded the bases with one out. Dominguez came up clutch again with a run-scoring single to left field, scoring Lenza for a 3-2 lead. SVSU escaped further trouble with an inning-ending double play.
 
Lipovsky set the Cardinals down in order in the home half of the sixth, including a pair of looking strikeouts.
 
In the seventh, the Lakers added to their lead. With two outs, junior Teagan Shomin doubled to left field and Lenza worked a 10-pitch walk. LaTour provided a big two-run double down the left field line to score both runners and up the GVSU cushion to 5-2.
 
LaTour's hit was even more important, as Saginaw Valley State did tack on a run on a solo homer in the seventh. However, Lipovsky struck out two of the other three Cardinal batters to seal the victory.
 
Lipovsky recorded 14 strikeouts in the win, as she struck out the side in both the third and fourth innings. It is her eighth straight game of double-digit strikeouts and 11th such outing this season. The 14 K's are her second-highest total this season, behind the 15-strikeout performance at Northwood on Apr. 14. She improves to 14-3 on the season, allowing three runs on three hits in seven innings. Her 185 strikeouts this year are the fifth-most in a single season in program history.
 
Dominguez led the way with a 2-for-3 effort, a double, and three RBI. La Tour went 2-for-4 with a two-bagger and two ribbies. Lenza was 1-for-2, walked twice, and scored three times. GVSU outhit the Cardinals, 8-3, and totaled four doubles.
 
Game Two (W, 7-6)
 
Each team scored two runs in the second inning of the nightcap. The Cardinals' runs came on a wild pitch from Balbach, the GVSU starter in game two. Grand Valley State evened the score in the home half of the inning with a Dominguez RBI single and a run-scoring single from junior Tanner Kiessel.
 
SVSU answered with three runs in its next at-bat, with an RBI double and a two-run homer. The score would stay 5-2 until the fourth inning when the Lakers would respond in a big way.
 
Grand Valley State scored five runs on five hits to turn a 5-2 deficit into a 7-5 advantage. Lenza's RBI single scored pinch runner Jenna Czart for a 5-3 score. LaTour then delivered a single that drove in senior Janae Langs (single) and Shomin (hit by pitch) scored; Lenza also scored on the play thanks to a Cardinal error, giving the Lakers a 6-5 edge. Balbach's infield single later in the frame brought in Little for a 7-5 lead.
 
While SVSU used an RBI single to get within a run at 7-6, the Lakers escaped further trouble, as junior Allie Grys left a pair of runners on base when the inning ended.
 
GVSU could not add to the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, but after the frame ended, the game was ended on account of darkness. It clinched the 19th consecutive win for the Lakers to finish the regular season.
 
Grys moved to 8-1 on the year, as the righty allowed one run on four hits in 2.2 innings of relief. She walked three and struck out two. Balbach gave up five runs in 2.2 innings in the circle.
 
At the plate, Balbach was the lone Laker with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. LaTour drove in a pair of runs. Seven different Lakers scored in the win and GVSU tallied eight hits, but had zero extra base hits.
 
As the GLIAC champion and #1 seed, Grand Valley State will face #8 Findlay in the opening round of the conference tournament next Friday (May 5) in Findlay, Ohio. The tournament is a double-elimination format. GVSU will play twice on Friday, regardless of the outcome of the opening game. More information will be released on the tournament when it is available.