vs. Northwood (DH)
Saturday (March 24)
1:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m.
Live Stats
Video (Game 1)
Video (Game 2)
 
vs Saginaw Valley State (DH)
Sunday (March 25)
12:00 p.m. & 2:00 p.m.
Live Stats
Video (Game 1)
Video (Game 2)
 
The Grand Valley State softball team will put their seven-game winning streak on the line this weekend as they host Northwood and Saginaw Valley State in a couple of doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday afternoon (Mar. 24-25). After posting a 10-2 record down in Clermont, Fla. over spring break, the Lakers returned to Allendale and took a twinbill from the Ferris State Bulldogs to improve to 15-5 overall and 2-0 in the conference. Northwood dropped their first two conference games to fall to 12-7 (0-2 GLIAC) while the Cardinals will come to Allendale with a 2-0 record in the conference and an 11-9 overall record.
 
After breaking into the National Fast Pitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Coaches poll last week at #23, the Lakers have moved up to #18 in the most recent poll. So far this season, the Lakers have taken down three ranked opponents, including then #1-ranked Minnesota State-Mankato, #14 Southern Indiana, and #19 Winona State.
 
Against the Bulldogs last weekend, the GVSU pitching staff came out to play. Junior Allison Lipovsky and senior Allie Grys combined for two complete games, allowed zero runs, gave up seven total hits, and gave up just two free bases on a walk and a hit by pitch. Meanwhile, the GVSU offense racked up sixteen hits between the two games and scored five runs to help secure the wins.
 
With the victories, Lipovsky improved to 7-2 on the season and Grys improved to 5-2. As a pitching staff, which also includes freshman Hannah Beatus (3-2), the Lakers have racked up more strikeouts and strikeouts per seven innings than any other team in the GLIAC with 167 and 8.99, respectively, and the fewest walks with just 31 free bases. Their 3.15 strikeout-to-walk ratio ranks 5th in the entire NCAA Division II and Lipovsky's 13.71 individual K/BB ratio ranks 2nd in the nation. Their combined 1.99 ERA also ranks second in the conference.
 
Leading the Laker offense has been Kaylie Rhynard, who is hitting .464 to start the season, who has tallied a team-high 32 hits while also scoring 17 runs. She also sports a .507 on-base percentage and has made teams pay after swiping eight bases in nine attempts. Just behind Rhynard in the lineup is Teagan Shomin, who is hitting at a .379 clip and leads the team with 19 runs scored. Freshman Taylor Rieger (.365), Nikoma Holmen (.354), and Bailey Thatcher (.347) have gotten off to hot starts in their first season in a Laker uniform. Holmen currently leads the team and the league in RBI's with 23 and has hit four homers as well.
 
The Lakers first opponent of the weekend will be the Northwood Timberwolves, who will enter the contest with a 12-7 overall record and an 0-2 record in the GLIAC after dropping a doubleheader at Davenport last weekend, both by 5-0 scores. Before that, the Timberwolves had won five straight to end their spring trip to Florida with a 12-5 record. As a team, Northwood is batting .297 and has scored 97 total runs while their pitching staff sports a 2.84 ERA and is striking out batters at a 6.91 clip per seven innings.
 
Of Timberwolves who have at least 20 at bats, freshman second baseman Tara Gross leads the way with a .387 average and also leads with 24 hits to go along with her 10 RBI's. Meghan Franz isn't too far behind, hitting .333 while freshman Lauren Castellon leads the NU squad with 14 RBI's.
 
Four different Northwood pitchers have seen action in the circle this season, led by redshirt freshman Taylor Wright with 60.1 innings pitch and freshman Shayna Frank has tossed 50.1 innings. Wright currently owns a 1.97 ERA and has struck out 81 batters to just 18 walks while Frank sports a 2.92 ERA with 38 strikeouts and 15 walks. Makenzie Norton and Marissa Tiano have seen 13.0 and 7.0 innings, respectively, and own ERA's of 5.92 and 4.00.
 
The Saginaw Valley State Cardinals currently own an 11-9 overall record and a 2-0 record in conference play after taking two from Purdue Northwest last weekend. The Cardinals have hit their stride as of late, as they are winners in six games, which ended a five-game skid for SVSU. The Cardinals took game one from the Pride by a 4-2 mark for their first conference win before winning game two in five innings, 9-2.
 
SVSU is led offensively by the duo of Meredith Rousse and Julia Miller, who are hitting .438 and .429, respectively. Senior Courtney Reeves leads the team with 21 RBI's and seven homeruns while Rousse isn't far behind in the RBI category with 20 of her own. In the circle, Anna Conard has tossed 49.1 innings and sports a 7-2 record with a 4.26 ERA. Mikayla Alexandrou has tallied 38.0 innings of work, giving up 21 runs (3.13 ER) and owns a 4-3 record. Kasey Bagelmann and Elayne Young have both seen some time in the circle as well (20.2, 17.0 innings respectively).
 
Following the Lakers games this weekend, they will travel down to Ohio for their first GLIAC road series against Ashland on Tuesday, March. 27. The following Friday (March 30), they will head back to Ohio for a doubleheader against Tiffin.