vs. Wayne State (Saturday, March 23 - 1:00 & 3:00 PM)
Live Stats
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vs. Ashland (Sunday, March 24 - 12:00 & 2:00 PM)
Live Stats (Game One)
Live Stats (Game Two)



The #8 Grand Valley State softball team (16-2, 0-0 GLIAC) is up for a tough test this weekend when they open GLIAC play on the road at #15 Wayne State (17-4, 0-0 GLIAC) and Ashland (14-2, 0-2 GLIAC), who was receiving votes in the last National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll. The Warriors will host the Lakers on Saturday, March 23 for a doubleheader starting at 1:00 PM before GVSU heads over to Ashland, Ohio where they will play the Eagles in another doubleheader on Sunday, March 24. First pitch for that game is scheduled for 12:00 PM.
 
The Lakers, who were originally scheduled to open conference play yesterday (March 21) at Saginaw Valley State but had their game postponed due to already poor field conditions and more inclement weather in the forecast, came in at #8 in this weeks' national poll. They most recently took down #19 Cedarville in a pair on contests, 1-0 and 10-0.
 
In the first game against the Yellow Jackets, senior righty Allison Lipovsky spun a complete game no-hitter, her first no-no of the season and third of her career. She tallied 14 strikeouts and just two walks in the first game of the doubleheader in a 102-pitch effort. On the season, Lipovsky is 9-0 with a 0.56 ERA to go with six shutouts in her 62.0 innings. She's tallied 91 K's to just 10 walks while opposing lineups are hitting just .127 against the Laker ace.
 
In the nightcap of that doubleheader, freshman Hannah Beatus tossed a five-inning complete game shutout as she struck out six and walked none while allowing just two base hits. She's now 7-2 on the year with a 0.86 ERA and has struck out 53 to also just 10 walks in her 56.2 innings.
 
Lipovsky and Beatus are first and second in the GLIAC in ERA and have combined for a 0.71 team ERA, the best mark in the entire nation. Their combined 7.20 strikeout-to-walk ratio is also the second highest mark in the country.
 
GVSU's offense is led by the returning GLIAC RBI leader in first baseman Nikoma Holmen, who is hitting .433 with 12 RBI's, six doubles, a triple, and a homer in her first 18 games. Shannon Flaherty, the Lakers shortstop, is second on the team with a .375 batting average and has knocked in eight runs so far while scoring 13 herself. Sophomore Brooke Henning and freshman Lydia Goble are both batting .333 so far this season and are third and first on the team in RBI's, respectively. Goble has knocked in 17 batters this season and leads the league with six homers in her first 18 collegiate games of her career. Henning has knocked in 12 runners to go with two doubles, two homers, and three triples.
 
The Lakers face a Warriors team who are winners in six of their last seven contests and sport a 17-4 overall record. It will be the first set of conference games for both squads. GVSU got the best of the Warriors last season, sweeping them in a doubleheader last year after their second scheduled meeting was cancelled due to weather.
 
WSU has three viable arms in the circle so far this season with Megan Guitar seeing the most action. She's 9-3 on the season with a 1.11 ERA as she's tallied 85K's and just 19 walks in her 81.2 innings pitched. Paige Ameel is 6-1 on the season with a 2.23 ERA, 35 K's, and 15 walks in her 50.1 innings of work. Presly Buchanan is 2-0 with a 0.50 ERA in her three starts as she's notched five K's and seven walks.
 
At the plate, Bryanna Kressler is batting .446 with 19 RBI's and eight homers while Hannah McClounie is batting .419 with a team-high 24 runs scored. Guitar can also be found in the batter's box where she's hitting .345 with four RBI's, a double, and a homer. Ashley Messina and Brooke Turkalj have tallied 13 and 11 RBI's, respectively, to rank second and third on the team.
 
Ashland comes into the weekend with a 14-8 overall record but have fallen in their last three contests, which snapped a six-game winning streak for the Eagles. AU also handed the Lakers one of their two conference losses a season ago but GVSU led the overall series, 3-1. They will face Ferris State the day before their matchup with GVSU.
 
Hannah Stroe is the go-to arm for the Eagles, as she's recorded a 7-4 record in her team-high 70.1 innings pitched. She's tallied 53 K's and 21 walks and sports a 3.09 ERA. Laney Jones is posted a 5-4 record in the circle this season and seen action in 56.2 innings where she's struck out a team-high 57 but has also issued a team-high 24 walks. Her ERA is 1.98 in her first 11 appearances. Abbie Sgro has also seen action in 21.1 innings where she's 2-0 with a 1.97 ERA.
 
At the plate, junior Dayna Denner leads the squad with a .453 average as she's knocked in a team-high 18 RBI's and has tallied seven doubles and two homers. Jones is also a pitcher that can hit and she's doing so at a .400 clip and has knocked in a pair of runners. Erika Farst and Bree Gill have knocked in 11 and 10 runners, respectively, to rank second and third on the team. Denner has also scored a team-high 14 runs.