The #15 Grand Valley State softball team earned a doubleheader sweep of the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals on Saturday afternoon (April 20) which also served as their annual Senior Day. Prior to the first game seniors Kaylie Rhynard, Rachel Terwilliger, Allison Lipovsky, and Shannon Flaherty were celebrated for their contributions to the GVSU Softball program before the foursome helped the Lakers to a 9-0 game one victory and an 8-3 game two victory. The Lakers improve to 36-8 overall and 20-6 in the GLIAC to hold on to their first-place lead in the league standings. 
 
The Laker offense was on fire all afternoon, as they racked up a combined 20 hits for a .400 average to go with six doubles, a homer and 16 RBI's. Leading that charge was sophomore Nikoma Holmen who went 4-6 at the dish with a double and four RBI's while Lydia Goble (3-6, 4 R's, 1 HR), and Terwilliger (1-2, 1 R, 1 2B) each added three RBI's as well. Rhynard racked up four hits while Joanna Cirrincione, Morgan Wagner, and Shannon Flaherty each added two apiece. Bailey Thatcher and Brooke Henning both chipped in base hits as well. 
 
In the circle, Lipovsky improved to 21-2 on the season after she pitched a complete game (5 inn.) one-hitter, striking out 11 and walking just one in the process. She also came in in relief during the second game, picking up three more K's as she tallied eight total innings on the day. Getting the nod in game two was freshman Samantha Gehrls who allowed three runs (two earned) in her four innings pitched, striking out a career-high six while not walking a single batter. 
 
Game One (W, 9-0)
The Lakers opened up game one with a big second inning, scoring five runs on four hits while the Cardinals committed an error in the process as well. Wagner delivered an RBI single to center before Terwilliger would knock a bases loaded double to left center field in her first at-bat of senior day to bring in all three runners before she herself scored after some heads up baserunning.
 
GVSU would add three more runs on four hits in the bottom of the third with RBI's from Holmen, Flaherty and Wagner once again before adding their ninth run in the bottom of the fourth off the bat of Holmen. 
 
Lipovsky was nearly unhittable, allowing just one base hit all afternoon long while tallying at least two strikeouts in each of her five innings pitched. 
 
Game Two (W, 8-3)
The Cardinals would get to the Lakers first in game two, knocking a two-out homer in the top of the second but the Lakers quickly answered with a run of their own after Cirrincione crushed a double to left to score Flaherty in the bottom of the inning. 
 
SVSU would once again take the lead when the plated two in the top of the third inning before the Lakers answered with one of their own thanks to a sac fly from Thatcher to cut the lead to one, 3-2. 
 
GVSU would quickly take over the game however as they scored three runs on three hits in the top of the fourth before taking on three more in the bottom of the sixth for the big 8-3 lead. Lipovsky came in to relieve Gehrls in the fifth and picked up right where she left off to put an exclamation point on senior day as she didn't allow another hit on the afternoon. 
 
Again, GVSU will be back in action next Thursday when they host Ferris State in their final home regular season doubleheader.