The #10-nationally ranked Grand Valley State softball team saw their 21-game winning streak snapped in game one of Saturday's (April 21) doubleheader by a 2-0 score before bouncing back with a convincing 7-0 win in game two. The Lakers victory in game two marked their 30th victory of the season as they improve to 30-6 overall and 17-1 in conference action. The Eagles leave Allendale with a 17-17 overall mark and a 7-9 record in GLIAC play.
 
The Lakers bats were quiet in game one as they were held to a season low two hits and failed to push a run across for the first time all season. Pitcher Allison Lipovsky limited the Eagles to just three hits while striking out 15 but two of those hits found their way over the fence and were enough for the close victory in the first game of the doubleheader.
 
GVSU flipped a switch heading into game two however, as they rattled off seven runs on 12 hits en route to helping Allie Grys earn her 11th win of the season. Grys, now 11-1, held Ashland scoreless in game two, giving up five hits while striking out five and walking none.
 
On the afternoon, GVSU's offense tallied seven runs on 14 hits while the duo of Lipovsky and Grys allowed two runs on eight hits and combined for 20 strikeouts and just one walk.
 
Kelcie LaTour and Kaylie Rhynard each picked up three hits on the afternoon, including a 3-run homer from Rhynard, her first of the season. The trio of Teagan Shomin, Taylor Rieger, and Brooke Henning all added two more hits apiece while Nikoma Holmen and Bailey Thatcher tacked on one hit each as well.
 
Game One (L, 2-0)
Two swings were the difference in the first game of the doubleheader, as the lone runs scored came in the form of two Eagle solo homers.
 
Lipovsky and Ashland's pitcer Laney Jones dominated the respective lineups they faced throughout much of the game. Each team collected just one hit in the first three innings of play before the Eagles tallied the first run on a solo shot in the top of the fourth inning for the 1-0 lead over the Lakers.
 
GVSU would leave a runner stranded in both the fourth and fifth innings before making their first real scoring threat in the bottom of the sixth. Rhynard laid down a bunt single before advancing to second on the throw to put a runner in scoring position with nobody out. Rhynard then moved up to third on a Rieger groundout before the next two Lakers would strikeout to end the inning.
 
Ashland struck again in the top of the seventh to add to their lead but the run wouldn't mean much as the Lakers went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the final inning.
 
Game Two (W, 7-0)
The Laker bats stayed quiet for the first inning of game two while the Eagles continued to put the pressure on with a couple of scoring chances in the top of the first and second innings. Grys was able to work her way around the lineup however and put GVSU up to bat in the bottom of the second with a 0-0 tie.
 
Henning got the first Laker hit of the game with a one out single to start the second before LaTour drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Shannon Flaherty then flew out to centerfield but the throw to third base to try to tag out Henning was off the mark and she managed to score on the play for the 1-0 Laker lead after two.
 
Grys held the Eagles in check once again before the Lakers lit up the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. Shomin got on with a one out hit by pitch and moved to second after a Rhynard bunt single. GVSU then rattled off three straight singles from Holmen, Henning, and LaTour as they each picked up and RBI as well for the 4-0 lead.
 
The Eagles managed just one hit in the top of the fourth and the Lakers would nearly double their lead as Rhynard would deliver a three-run homer to left field for the 7-0 lead. Thatcher and Shomin scored on the play as they both got on with one out singles.
 
The Lakers had a chance to end the game early in the fifth inning as they put runners on first and third with one out before Kaitlyn Plocinski nearly had a sacrifice fly to score Rachel Terwilliger but a great throw from the Eagles left fielder chopped her down at the plate.
 
Grys then went on to continue to shut out Ashland in the top of the sixth and seventh innings to secure GVSU's 30th victory of the season.
 
GVSU will be back in action tomorrow afternoon as they are set to host the Tiffin Dragons in a doubleheader at noon and 2:00 PM.