The Grand Valley State women's softball team split on its final day at the Lewis Dome Tournament in Rosemont, Ill. The Lakers fell 5-2 to Illinois Springfield in their first game of the day before bouncing back to take down Missouri S&T 9-3. With the split, the Lakers are now 3-3 on the season after going 2-0 on the first day of the tournament. All three of the Lakers pitchers (Allison Lipovsky, Hannah Beatus, and Allie Grys) recorded wins on the weekend while three different Lakers are hitting at least .400.
 
On the season, Rhynard is a cool 10-for-19 (.526) to lead the Lakers in the category, while Teagan Shomin (.478) and Kelcie LaTour (.421) are the other Lakers hitting over the .400 mark. LaTour has collected a team-high seven RBI in the Lakers six games so far, while Shomin has tallied five ribbies and Rhynard and Nikoma Holmen have added four each as well.
 
The Lakers will be back in action next week, as they are set to head down to Clermont, Fla. for their annual Spring Break Trip where they will face 12 different opponents throughout the week.
 
Game One vs. Illinois Springfield (L, 5-2)
The Lakers got up to bat first but after Rhynard reached with one out she wouldn't make it past second base as Illinois Springfield got a couple of groundouts to end the early threat.
 
The Prairie Stars got off to a quick start, scoring two runs on three hits in the bottom of the first innings. After giving up a leadoff triple, it seemed like Lipovsky would get out of the jam after she recorded two straight outs on a batter interference and a strikeout but a single from the Stars cleanup hitting brought in the first run of the game. Another triple following the single scored the Stars final run of the inning as Lipovsky got a popout to end the inning.
 
A two out single from Bailey Thatcher was the Lakers lone hit in the top of the second but Lipovsky came out firing and recorded a 1-2-3 inning to keep the Lakers within two heading into the third.
 
Shomin got on with a one-out bunt to get the Lakers on in the third before Rhynard drew a walk to put runners on first and second with one out. LaTour flew out to left field but an overthrow from the left fielder allowed Shomin to come around and score for the Lakers first run of the game but Stars were able to tag out a sliding Rhynard at home to end the inning. In the bottom half of the inning, Illinois Springfield managed to get a run back after getting two runners on after a single and an error. The leadoff hitter moved stole third before a passed ball allowed her to scoot past home plate and push the Star lead to 4-1.
 
In the fourth, the Lakers went down 1-2-3 in the top half of the inning before the Prairie Stars managed to push another run across in the bottom half of the stanza to go up 5-1.
 
The Lakers recorded their second run in the top of the fifth inning after a Rhynard fielder's choice allowed Tanner Kiessel to come around and score after Shomin was caught in a pickle inbetween first and second base. Unfortunately, that would be the last run either team would manage to score and the Lakers fell 5-2.
 
Game Two vs. Missouri S&T (W, 9-3)
The Lakers took the field first with Grys given the starting honors for the first time this season. Unfortunately, much like the first game, the Miners opened with a leadoff triple but it seemed like Grys would get out of the early jam after she struck out the next two batters. The Miners managed to push a single between shortstop and third base to score the first run of the game. Grys got her third strikeout of the inning the following batter.
 
Shomin opened the Lakers first at-bats with a single through the left side before advancing to second on a LaTour fly ball that was judged poorly by the centerfielder to put two runners on with one out. A Holmen single scored Shomin before a Miner error would allow both Holmen and LaTour to come around and score to give GVSU the 3-1 lead after one.
 
Grys quickly went through the second round of Miner batters, recording a flyout, strikeout, and groundout to put the Lakers back at the plate. Bailey Thatcher put down a perfect bunt that she beat out but an errant late throw by the Miners allowed her to keep on going right to second with no outs. Shomin singled to left field and advanced to second after the Miner's tried – to no avail – to throw out Thatcher at the plate. Rhynard put down another bunt that moved Shomin to third before stealing second to put runners on first and second for LaTour who blasted a two-RBI single to right field to give the Lakers the early 6-1 lead. The Lakers inning ended after LaTour was called out at home in a close play after a Taylor Rieger single.
 
With two outs and one runner on in the third, the Miners managed to take advantage of a passed ball and another single to score their second run but another Grys strikeout ended any hopes of more runs. In the bottom half of the third, a two-out single from Shomin moved Thatcher to third – who singled earlier in the inning – which set up an RBI single from Rhynard to push the Laker lead back to five, 7-2.
 
The Miners would throw up goose eggs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings while the Lakers managed to nudge their lead out to 9-2 with runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Rhynard picked up another RBI in the fifth after her single scored Kayla Plastiak while Thatcher pushed across Rieger in the sixth after Rieger leadoff with a double.
 
Missouri S&T would manage to score one final run in the top of the seventh after a Laker error but Grys forced another Miner groundout to end the game and give GVSU their third win of the season.
 
Again, GVSU will head to Clermont, Fla. on March 4-10 for their twelve Spring Break games against some tough competition.