vs. Ashland (Doubleheader)
Saturday (April 21)
1:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m.
Live Stats
Video
vs. Tiffin (Doubleheader)
Sunday (April 22)
12:00 p.m. & 2:00 p.m.
Live Stats
Video
The #10-nationally ranked Grand Valley State softball team is set to get back onto the diamond for the first time in over a week due to multiple schedule changes and cancelations because of weather. The Lakers will host the Ashland Eagles on Saturday, April 21 at 1:00 and 3:00 PM before welcoming the Tiffin Dragons to GVSU Softball Field on Sunday, April 22 for a couple of games at 12:00 and 2:00 PM. The Lakers currently own a 29-5 overall record and a 16-0 mark in conference play. The Eagles are 15-15 and 5-7 in GLIAC action while the Dragons are 20-17 overall and 8-6 against conference action. Both teams have contests scheduled before their trips to Allendale however.
The Lakers will be celebrating Heritage Week against the Eagles on Saturday. As part of the celebration, GVSU will be wearing special throwback uniforms and a cookout will be held before the first game of the doubleheader, starting at 12:00 PM, where hotdogs and burgers will be given out to fans.
The first NCAA DII Midwest Region rankings were released this past Wednesday (April 18) and the Lakers opened up in the #1 spot. GVSU is currently 25-5 against in-region competition and is riding a 21-game winning streak, the longest active streak in DII. Illinois-Springfield, who the Lakers have split with so far this season, fell at #2 in the regional rankings with a 30-8 record against regional opponents. Indianapolis (25-10), McKendree (23-12), UMSL (23-14), SVSU (16-14), Southern Indiana (17-13), and Cedarville (20-8) round out the eight teams that would currently make the NCAA Postseason field. The Lakers are 7-3 against those teams this season.
Most recently, the Lakers took two from the Dragons at their place back on April 12 by scores of 1-0 and 4-0. In game one, freshman
Brooke Henning blasted a solo homer in the top of the fourth inning, which would turn out to be the lone run of the game. Junior
Allison Lipovsky, the reigning GLIAC Pitcher of the Week, shut down the Dragons lineup during the game to secure the slim victory, as the allowed zero runs on two hits while striking out 12 batters. The Lakers bats were more alive in game two, as they tallied four runs on nine hits, while
Allie Grys earned her 10th win of the season in the circle, blanking the Dragons once again.
The Laker pitching staff has been nothing less than dominant during the 21-game winning streak. The trio of Lipovsky, Grys, and freshman
Hannah Beatus combine to rank second in the nation in ERA (1.28), Shutouts (17), and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.36) – all of which lead the GLIAC. Individually, Lipovsky (0.73) and Grys (1.06) both rank inside the top-10 in ERA nationally, with Lipovsky sitting in third and Grys in 10th. Lipovsky also leads the nation in shutouts (10), stikeout-to-walk ratio (10.53), and strikeouts per seven innings (11.80).
GVSU's offense has been solid in providing runs in support of their pitchers as well. As a team, the Lakers are batting .319 after having racked up 287 hits so far this season while their on-base percentage is sitting at .383, all of which are second in the conference.
Kaylie Rhynard has racked up a .438 batting average and 49 hits to lead the team while her 28 runs scored is second on the squad.
Teagan Shomin is getting on base at an even .500 mark while batting .419 with 44 hits and 20 RBI's. Freshman
Nikoma Holmen leads the team with 36 RBI's, which is also first in the conference, while fellow freshman
Taylor Rieger has tallied a team-leading 10 doubles.
The Eagles are 2-2 in their last two contests, as they won both games of a doubleheader against Ferris State by scores of 10-7 (8 inn.) and 13-0 (5 inn.) before they dropped a pair of games to Purdue Northwest, 3-1 and 5-1.
AU is batting .289 as a team and has hit 17 home runs, led by sophomore Camille Pollutro. Pollutro is batting .400 on the season while Kylie Asmus (.374), Paige Summers (.344), Emma Lawson (.317), and Bree Gill (.305) aren't far behind. Summers has hit 6 homers and drove in 23 runners to lead the Eagles in both categories.
In the circle, Paige McMenemy has posted a 7-6 record in 11 starts and 15 appearances. She has pitched 84.0 innings and owns a 3.17 ERA. Hannah Stroe, who leads the team in ERA with a 2.55 mark, has pitched 79.2 innings to a 5-7 record. Laney Jones has seen 30.0 innings in the circle, where she is 2-2 with a 4.90 ERA.
Tiffin, who is third in the GLIAC, is 1-3 in their last four contests, with two of those losses coming at the hands of the Lakers. The Dragons have had an up and down season as they posted an 11-game winning streak back in March that ended a 10-game losing streak and are 3-6 since then.
Brooke Lambert has led the Dragon offense so far this season, as she leads the team with a .373 average, 41 hits, and 13 doubles. Gabrielle Hess, Abbey Zedaker, and Jamie Sevenish have also been solid at the plate, posting averages of .351, .333, and .308. Hess leads the squad in RBI's with 19 while Lambert has belted a team high four homers.
In the circle, Tiffany Snell and Kimmy Reynolds have seen a majority of the action. Snell is 8-5 in 16 games started and 20 appearances with 100.2 innings pitched and a 2.43 ERA. Reynolds has tossed 95.0 innings with a 2.58 ERA to a 9-7 record. Faith Bogard and April Bennett have also seen some time at pitcher, tossing 29.0 innings and 16.2 innings, respectively.
Following this weekend's contests, the Lakers will host Purdue Northwest next Saturday (April 28) in their last home doubleheader of the season. That game will also serve as GVSU's annual Senior Day where the seniors on this season's team will be honored for their time in a Laker uniform.
