The #6 Grand Valley State softball team is ready for another pair of GLIAC road doubleheaders this weekend, as they are scheduled for the short trip to Caledonia, Mich. to face the Davenport Panthers on Saturday (April 13) before turning south for the trip to Kenosha, Wis. where they will face the Wisconsin-Parkside Rangers on Sunday (April 14). This will be the second meeting between the Lakers and Panthers in less than a week while GVSU hasn't seen Parkside since their last meeting in March.
The Lakers enter this weekend with a 29-5 record overall and a 13-3 mark in conference play and are also 4-0 against their upcoming opponents. They took a twin bill from the Rangers back on March 27 by scores of 8-0 and 7-2 while also earning the daily sweep of the Panthers just this past Tuesday, April 9 by scores of 9-4 and 6-5. Senior
Kaylie Rhynard delivered the walk-off single in game two against the Panthers for the dramatic win on the GVSU Softball Field.
Sophomore outfielder
Bailey Thatcher has been on fire the Lakers last few series as she's now leading the team with a .408 batting average (29-71) and .494 on-base percentage. She's also scored 21 runs and knocked in 13 while at the dish. Sophomore
Nikoma Holmen – the reigning RBI leader from a year ago – is having another great season as she leads the GLIAC and the team with 40 RBI's while batting .407 with 10 doubles, seven homers, and a triple to go with a .686 slugging percentage. Freshman
Lydia Goble has emerged as another source of power at the plate for the Lakers, as she's tied for second in the conference with nine homers and 38 RBI's as she's batting .353 with six doubles as well.
Senior
Shannon Flaherty is third on the team with a .361 average (20 RBI, 2 HR, 3 2B, 3 3B) while senior
Kaylie Rhynard (.333, 16 RBI, 38 R, 5 2B), sophomore
Taylor Rieger (.306, 28 RBI, 4 HR, 8 2B), and sophomore
Brooke Henning (.303, 19 RBI, 5 2B, 4 3B), are all hitting over .300 as well.
On the defensive side of things, the GVSU pitching staff remains one of the most dominant staffs in the country. Their 1.66 combined ERA is the 10th lowest in the nation while their 14 shutouts are fourth best and their 4.85 strikeout-to-walk ratio is eighth.
Senior righty and reigning GLIAC Pitcher of the Week
Allison Lipovsky is 17-1 on the season with a 0.69 ERA, 17 complete games, and 10 shutouts. She's struck out 184 batters in her 122.0 innings pitched and has allowed just 19 walks and nine extra base hits as opposing lineups are hitting just .149 off the Harrison, Mich. native. After an injury thrust her into the No. 2 spot, freshman
Samantha Gehrls in 4-0 in her eight appearances with a 4.20 ERA and 23 strikeouts. Also seeing an uptick in time in the circle was freshman
Hannah Dieck who is 1-1 with a 7.30 ERA so far this season.
The Panthers, who despite dropping two to the Lakers last week, are second in the GLIAC standings with a 11-7 mark against conference competition while they are 19-16 overall. They most recently earned a sweep of the Northwood Timberwolves, which came just a day after their series with GVSU.
As a team, DU is batting .302 with 188 runs scored. Abby Merice leads that charge with a .409 average and 26 RBI's while the trio of Gabby Palazzolo (.398, 14 RBI, 29 R, 10 2B), Lauren French (.329, 15 RBI, 25 R, 3 HR), and Rachel Griffin (.327, 24 RBI, 5 HR, 5 2B) are all hitting .300 or above as well.
Mallory Teunissen leads a Davenport pitching staff that sports a 3.65 ERA and 19-16 overall record as she's tossed 100.1 innings while racking up an 11-5 record and 2.72 ERA. She's also struck out 99 to 35 walks. Ellie Muilenburg sports a 5-7 record with a 4.13 ERA as she's seen action in 61.0 innings while Emma Miller is 202 in 33.1 innings with a 5.25 ERA and 14 strikeouts.
Despite a 0-33 start to the season, the Parkside Rangers are 5-0 in their last five, including conference wins over Wayne State and Ferris State. They most recently took two from the Trinity Christian Trolls and will face Northwood on Saturday before their matchup with the Lakers.
Kellie Fenza leads the Parkside offense with a .384 average and 29 runs scored while also being 21-22 in stolen base attempts. Jessica Crull is the other Ranger hitting over .300, as she's batting .313 with nine RBI's and seven doubles. Megan Aliverti leads the way with 20 RBI's as she's hitting .218 with six doubles as well.
In the circle, Alyssa McClelland has pitched just 34.1 innings but is 3-1 in her 11 appearances with a 1.63 ERA and 12 strikeouts. Kiley Akey has seen the most action, pitching 60.2 innings and is 1-7 on the season with a 7.50 ERA. The trio of Allison Hausl, Alyssa Hrncar, and Kate Czoschke have combined for just over 140 innings and are a combined 1-24 this season.
