#22 Saginaw Valley State used three home runs to power its way past Grand Valley State in Friday evening's (May 12) elimination game, topping the Lakers by an 8-0 final in Evansville, Ind. The loss came after GVSU notched a thrilling 1-0 win over Indianapolis on a no-hitter from pitcher Allison Lipovsky earlier in the day.
 
The defeat ended Grand Valley State's 2017 campaign, as the defending Midwest Region champions and the tournament's seventh seed saw its season come to a close with a 33-18 overall record. Third-seeded Saginaw Valley State advances to Saturday's (May 13) championship round against #9 Southern Indiana, with SVSU needed to defeat the host Screaming Eagles twice to claim the regional title.
 
On Friday, SVSU played terrific all the way around, scoring eight runs on eight hits against the Lakers, while senior pitcher Sam Willman tossed a five-inning no-hitter to improve to 21-7 on the season.
 
Saginaw Valley State plated three runs in the first inning off GVSU starter Courtney Reinhold, as the Cardinals took a 2-0 lead on a two-run homer from junior Meredith Rousse. It was her seventh roundtripper of the season. SVSU added another run in the opening inning with an RBI single.
 
The Cardinal advantage grew to 5-0 in the second inning as Saginaw Valley State tallied a pair of runs on one hit and a pair of Laker errors. After not being tacked with an error in either of the first two NCAA Tournament games, GVSU committed an uncharacteristic four errors in the opening three innings against the Cardinals.
 
In the bottom of the third inning, the Lakers put two runners on base with walks to juniors Jessica Ramos and Teagan Shomin, but a foulout ended GVSU's first real scoring threat of the game.
 
SVSU added to its lead in the fourth inning, as Rousse hit a solo homer - her second of the game - to begin the frame. Junior Courtney Reeves - who hit the game-winning three-run walkoff homer in Thursday's opening game against Indianapolis - followed up with a two-run home run to right center field for her GLIAC-best 14th roundtripper of the year.
 
Reinhold (6-5) gave up five runs in two innings, but only two were earned due to the Laker miscues. She allowed five hits and two walks. Senior lefty Ellie Balbach allowed three runs on three hits in three innings of relief. She walked two and struck out two.
 
Friday's contest marked the final game for six GVSU seniors, as Balbach, Marianne Deppe, Kelsey Dominguez, Janae Langs, Jenna Lenza, and Ali Vander Meer suited up for the final time in a Laker uniform. Over the past four years, that group tallied a 138-62 career record, good for a .690 winning percentage in those 200 games. The Lakers were 71-24 in GLIAC contests, for an even more impressive .747 winning mark.
 
GVSU's senior class advanced to the NCAA Tournament in all four seasons, while winning the 2016 Midwest Region championship and advancing to the College World Series for the third time in school history. The Lakers were GLIAC regular season champions this year, as well.
 
Laker Notes:
- Grand Valley State clinched the 2017 GLIAC regular season championship with a pair of victories (5-3, 7-6) at #22 Saginaw Valley State in the regular season finale on Apr. 29
- Saginaw Valley State claimed the 2017 GLIAC Tournament championship, winning all four of its games at the single-elimination tournament in Findlay, Ohio
- The longtime GLIAC rivals have only met in the NCAA Tournament one other time. Saginaw Valley State topped GVSU in the 2011 Midwest Super Regionals in University Center by scores of 5-2 and 2-0 to win the best-of-three series and advance to the College World Series
- GVSU is making its seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and 15th overall postseason berth, all since 1999
- The Lakers are now 43-32 all-time in NCAA postseason play and have won at least one postseason game in 14 of the team's 15 trips to the Midwest Region Tournament