The #6 Grand Valley State softball team earned the daily sweep over Ferris State when they won both games of a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon (April 7). The Lakers earned a clean 3-1 win over the Bulldogs in game one before exploding for 12 runs in game two as they earned the mercy-rule victory, 12-4.
 
Senior Allison Lipovsky (15-1) earned the victory in the circle in game one after tossing a complete game four-hitter where she allowed just one run. She tallied 11 K's to just two walks in her 15th win of the season as her ERA remains a miniscule 0.52. Freshman Samantha Gehrls got the win in game two after she pitched a complete game five-hitter, striking out two while walking six and allowing four runs. She is now 3-0 on the season and records her first complete game of her collegiate career.
 
At the dish, sophomore Bailey Thatcher was nearly impossible to get out, going 5-6 at the plate with three runs scored. The trio of freshman Lydia Goble, sophomore Nikoma Holmen, and junior Rachel Terwilliger were clutch all day with runners in scoring position as they each tallied four RBI's while Kaitlyn Plocinski, Shannon Flaherty, and Brooke Henning all added RBI's as well. 
 
Senior Kaylie Rhynard was also impressive at the plate, going 4-8 with a double and three runs scored while Flaherty tallied the most extra base hits with two triples on the day. 
 
Game One (W, 3-1)
It was a quiet first two innings as the teams combined for just one hit until the Lakers broke it open in the top of the third inning. Thatcher got on with a leadoff single before Plocinski and Goble both singled through the left side with Goble's going for two RBI's as both Thatcher and Plocinski managed to touch home. 
 
Ferris State would finally get to Lipovsky in the fourth inning after an error put the leadoff runner on and back to back singles loaded the bases for the Bulldogs. Lipovsky would then walk in the lone run of the game but would record the final out thanks to a foul out to end the threat. 
 
The Lakers added an insurance run in the top of the sixth when Plocinski belted an RBI double down the right field line which allowed Rieger to come around and score after she notched a leadoff single to start the inning. 
 
Lipovsky would get a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the sixth and would close the game out with a final grounder in the bottom of the seventh for her 15th win of the season. 
 
Game Two (W, 12-4)
After a quick first inning, the Lakers made the early jump on FSU's Highway when they scored two runs on two hits and an error in the top of the second. Plocinski drew a one-out walk before a pinch-running Kayla Plastiak scored when Terwilliger laid down a bunt single. Flaherty would then groundout to shortstop but it would be enough to score Thatcher from third as the Lakers went up 2-0. 
 
Gehrls would make quick work of the Bulldogs in the bottom of the inning and the Lakers would get right back at it on offense. Rhynard led off with a double to left center before Henning would drive her in with an RBI single back up the middle. Thatcher then scored and an error by the first baseman off the bat of Terwilliger with the bases loaded would score all three runners as the Lakers went up 6-0 after two and a half innings. 
 
FSU would get one back in the third but the Lakers would answer with three runs each in the fourth and fifth innings. Flaherty would triple to start the fourth and would score when Goble knocked a single a batter later. Rhynard would add another single before Holmen would deliver a 2 RBI groundout to third base. In the fifth, Flaherty would once again triple and score off the bat of Goble while Holmen would double to center field for another pair of RBI's. 
 
The Bulldogs managed three runs in the bottom of the fifth but a final pop out would end the game early due to mercy.