NCAA Selection Show (Monday, May 7, 10:00 AM)
 
The #9 Grand Valley State softball team won the 2018 GLIAC Tournament over the Davenport Panthers on a Shannon Flaherty walkoff triple in the bottom of the 11th inning for the 1-0 final. GVSU swept the GLIAC championships as they were also the regular season champs after posting a 24-2 record against conference opponents before going an unblemished 4-0 in this year's tournament. GVSU moves to 41-7 overall and are in place to be the #1 seed in this season's NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament.
 
In what turned out to be a pitcher's duel for what would equate to nearly two full games, both Allison Lipovsky and Davenport's Mallory Teunissen went the distance, as the two combined for just over 320 total pitches. Lipovsky improved to 20-3 on the season after tossing 11 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out nine and walking one.
 
GVSU combined for eight hits on the afternoon, three of which came from Flaherty, as she was the only player on either team to gather at least two hits. Kelcie LaTour knocked a base hit in the 11th before being pinch ran for that set up the game winner from Flaherty. Also collecting hits in the game were Teagan Shomin, Kaylie Rhynard, Nikoma Holmen, and Bailey Thatcher.
 
After Lipovsky got a quick 1-2-3 inning to start the game, Shomin lead off the bottom of the first with a double to left field but the next three Lakers failed to bring her around to score. DU then started the second inning off with a double for the second hit of the game but two strikeouts and a groundout would end that threat.
 
The Lakers connected on a hit in the bottom of the second and would be the last hit until the sixth inning for either team when Holmen connected on a single to end the drought. The Lakers next scoring chance came in the bottom of the seventh inning after Thatcher delivered a double to left center with two outs but a fly out from the next batter would send the game into extra innings.
 
Nothing was any different in the eighth or ninth innings as both pitchers stayed composed in extras and didn't allow a hit until the 10th. Davenport knocked back to back singles with two outs to put runners on first and second but Lipovsky got a big backwards K to send the Lakers up to bat with a chance to win it. The Lakers nearly won the game in the bottom of the 10th after Rhynard doubled to left field before Brooke Henning hit a line shot into shallow left field that would have scored Rhynard but DU's left fielder made a sliding catch to end the inning.
 
Lipovsky got a quick 1-2-3 inning in the 11th to set GVSU up for their game winning hit. After a fly out, LaTour notched a single back up the middle before getting lifted to pinch runner Tanner Kiessel. After a strikeout, Flaherty tagged her two-out triple to score Kiessel from first base to secure the conference tournament crown.
 
Next up for the Lakers is the 2018 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament. The eight team tournament will be announced tomorrow morning (May 7) at 10:00 AM. GVSU is in position to be the top-seeded team in the tournament which would mean that they would host the regional tournament, which takes place May 10-12.