No. 16 GVSU earned a pair of victories in their final day at the Lewis Dome Tournament in Rosemont, Ill. after putting up a lopsided 17-0 victory over No. 12 Illinois Springfield before taking down Missouri S&T 8-2 in the nightcap. The Lakers will head back to Allendale with a 3-1 record after splitting their doubleheader yesterday. The Lakers will quickly get back to work when they get back in town as they prepare for their annual Spring Trip to Clermont, Fla. starting Sunday, March 3 and ending seven days and 12 games later. 
 
Both senior Allison Lipovsky and sophomore Hannah Beatus earned wins in the circle this afternoon as Lipovsky improves to 2-0 and Beatus moves to 1-1 on the season. In the Lakers first game against the No. 12 Prairie Stars, Lipovsky tossed a complete game (five innings) two hitter, striking out three and walking just one, as the Lakers trounced the Stars. Beatus also tossed a complete game, allowing two runs on eight hits while striking out four and walking two. 
 
The Laker offense exploded for a combined 25 runs on 28 hits on their second day of the season, led by freshman Nikoma Holmen who was 7-7 at the plate and senior Shannon Flaherty who was 5-6. Freshman Joanna Cirrincione was also 4-5 in her first two starts of her career. 
 
Game One vs. No. 12 Illinois Springfield (W, 17-0)
Despite a lackluster performance from their offense in the Lakers' first two games, they got things going early against the Prairie Stars. Holmen led the way at the plate, going 4-4 with three runs scored and an RBI, while Kaylie Rhynard tallied four RBI's after going 3-4 with three runs scored as well. Flaherty was 2-2 in the contest, adding three RBI's herself while Rieger also went for three RBI's after a three-run bomb. 
 
Rhynard opened the game with a single before advancing to second on an error. With two outs, the Lakers would push across eight runs, starting with a Holmen RBI single to left. A single, and error, and three straight walks would put the Lakers up 3-0. After a pitching change, the Lakers would put up five more runs thanks to singles from Bailey Thatcher, Rhynard, and Flaherty. 
 
Lipovsky shut the Prairie Stars out in the bottom of the frame before the Lakers would put up a seven spot in the top of the second. 
 
Holmen opened things up with a double to left center before Lydia Goble would bring her home with a one out single. Kelcie LaTour then blasted a ground-rule double that set up a Thatcher sac fly. Rhynard then delivered another single, this time for two RBI's before Rieger launched a three-run homer to left to put the Lakers up 15-0. 
 
Lipovsky kept rolling through the second and wouldn't allow her first hit until the bottom of the third inning but induced an inning-ending lineout to preserve the shutout. The Lakers would score one run each in the fourth and fifth inning before the mercy rule took affect and ended the game after five with the Lakers up 17-0. 
 
Game Two vs. Missouri S&T (W, 8-2)
The Lakers got their second win of the day behind another big performance from Flaherty and Holmen who combined to go 6-7 from the plate while tallying three RBI's. 
 
Beatus allowed two hits in the first but tallied two strikeouts before an inning-ending groundout to end the early threat. At the plate for the first time, the Lakers managed to push one across thanks to a Holmen single don the rightfield line that scored Flaherty from third. 
 
Beatus allowed two more inconsequential hits in the top of the second before GVSU would add two more in the bottom of the frame. After a Goble walk, she stole second before Cirrincione delivered a two-out single and Flaherty did the same two batters later to push the lead to 3-0. 
 
S&T would get on the board in the third inning and double their score in the fourth to cut the Lakers lead to just one, 3-2. GVSU would close things out in the fifth however, as they put up a five-spot thanks for five hits. Flaherty opened things up with a bunt single before a sac from Rieger would push her to second and Holmen would drive her home with a double to right center. Brooke Henning then singled up the middle to score Holmen. A wild pitch a few batters later would allow Henning to score before Cirrincione would come up clutch once again with a two-out single to score a pinch running Kayla Plastiak and Goble. 
 
Beatus would shut down the S&T lineup over the final two innings as GVSU would earn their second victory of the day, 8-2. 
 
The Lakers will be back in action in Clermont, Fla. where they will play 12 games in seven days in their annual spring break trip.