The Grand Valley State softball team was looking to survive and advance in Sunday's first NCAA Divsion II Midwest Region 1 Championship game; mission accomplished with a 5-3 victory over Southern Indiana to force a second title game. GVSU (44-8) will square off versus the USI Eagles (32-23) at 1:30 p.m., with the winner advancing to the NCAA Midwest Super Regional. 

The Laker offense erupted for five runs on five hits in the top of the second. Freshman 2B Nikoma Holmen his a laser over the left field fence to lead off the inning, Freshman DH Kaitlyn Plocinski walked, Kelcie LaTour singled and both advanced with a sac bunt by SS Shannon Flaherty. Senior catcher Jessica Ramos doubled to left center to score two and give the Lakers a 3-0 lead. LF Bailey Thatcher went back-to-back doubles to plate Ramos and following a pitching change for the Eagles, Kaylie Rhynard greeted the USI pitcher with a sharp single to center to score Thatcher and give the Lakers a 5-0 lead. 

Southern Indiana answered with three runs on two hits and two Laker walks in the bottom the second, with the big blow being a bases loaded double to left center to pull the Eagles within two (5-3). 

GVSU junior pitcher Allison Lipovsky worked out of a jam in the bottom of the fifth when the first two runners reached on singles, but she retired the next two batters via fly outs and then picked up a strikeout to end the threat. 

Lippovsky picked up the win, yielding three runs on five hits with 10 strikeouts in seven innings of work. Holmen and LaTour each collected two hits, while Ramos drove in a pair.