The #6 Grand Valley State softball team earned a couple of big conference wins over the second place Davenport Panthers on Tuesday afternoon to improve to 28-4 overall and 12-2 in GLIAC action as their lead in the league standings continues to grow. GVSU took game one 9-4 before needing a walk-off single from senior Kaylie Rhynard to take the second game in dramatic fashion, 6-5. The Panthers fall to 17-16 overall and 9-7 in GLIAC play. 
 
The pitching duo of Allison Lipovsky and Samantha Gehrls notched the victories in the circle as they improve to 16-1 and 4-0 on the season, respectively. Lipovsky tossed a complete game seven-hitter as she allowed four runs (three earned) to go with six strikeouts and three walks for her conference-leading 16th victory of the season. Gerhls remains undefeated after she notched a complete game nine-hitter where she allowed five runs (two earned) to go with a pair of strikeouts in her 114-pitch performance. 
 
At the dish, sophomore designated player Kaitlyn Plocinski led the way after going 4-6 with two RBI's and a run scored. Senior shortstop Shannon Flaherty also notched four hits (4-7) and two RBI's as she scored two runs herself as well. Both Kaylie Rhynard – who delivered the game-winning hit in game two – and Lydia Goble knocked three hits, two of which were doubles from Goble, while Brooke Henning and Taylor Rieger both added a pair of hits as well. Rieger also led the way with three RBI's while Nikoma Holmen, Bailey Thatcher, Kelcie LaTour, and Joanna Cirrincione picked up base knocks as well. 
 
Game One (W, 9-4)
The Panthers got to Lipovsky early in the first game, scoring one run after a leadoff single, a steal, and another single to take the 1-0 lead. GVSU answered in a big way however, knocking three hits to score three runs and take their first lead of the game, 3-1. Rhynard drew a leadoff walk before stealing second and advancing to third on a flyout. Goble then laced a double into left to plate the first run before she would score herself off the bat of Plocinski. Brooke Henning then knocked a two-out single to score Plocinski and cap off the scoring. 
 
Lipovsky settled in after the first and got a 1-2-3 inning in the second while allowing just one hit in the third. In between her outings, GVSU scored two more in the bottom of the second with a nice two out rally. Rieger drew a walk before Goble knocked a double down the right field line and Holmen reached on an error by the shortstop to score Rieger. Plocinski then delivered another RBI single to score Goble. 
 
Flaherty had an impressive bottom of the third inning when she roped a triple to score a pinch-running Kayla Plastiak before she turned the corner at third and sprinted home after a throwing error by the Panthers second baseman to put the Lakers up 7-1. 
 
GVSU would score two more runs in the bottom of the fourth after Plocinski and LaTour notched back to back singles before a Flaherty single would score a pinch-running Madelyn Nelson. Another error by the Panthers allowed Wagner to score on the play as well.  
 
DU would add a pair of runs in the top of the fifth after an error led to an RBI single before the Panthers roped another single to score their third run of the game. 
 
Lipovsky would head back out for the top of the seventh where she allowed one final inconsequential run before getting a final groundout for her 16th win of the season. 
 
Game Two (??-??)
Gehrls got the call in game two and got out of the first inning unscathed despite giving off a leadoff double. In the bottom of the inning, Rhyard would start things off with a single before getting pushed over to second thanks to a Rieger sac bunt. After moving to third on a wild pitch, Goble knocked an RBI groundout to shortstop to put the Lakers up 1-0. 
 
Gehrls gave up another double in the second but induced a lineout, pop out, and fly out to get out of the jam. After a quick at-bat from the Lakers, she held DU scoreless to lead to a two-run bottom of the third inning thanks to a two-run homer off the bat of Rieger – her fourth homer of the season. 
 
The Panthers finally scrapped together a run in the top of the fourth after a double and RBI single but the Lakers would answer with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth as Gehrls hit a nice stride in the top of the fifth and sixth. Flaherty knocked a one-out single and score on a Rieger double to left before Holmen knocked a deep sac fly to score Rhynard from third. 
 
The Panthers had a little bit more life left in them as they would score four runs on three hits and an error in the top of the seventh to tie the game at five. A sac fly scored the first run before a bases clearing double with two outs forced the Lakers back up to the plate for a walkoff or extra innings. 
 
Luckily for the Lakers, Rhynard was able to put one right back up the middle to score Henning who led off with a single before moving to second on a sac bunt and to third after tagging up on a Flaherty foul out.