The Grand Valley State softball team was not ready to leave the 2019 Division II College World Series on Saturday afternoon (May 25), using a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth inning to down West Florida, 3-2. GVSU now improves to 51-9 on the season while the Argonauts close out their season with a 54-11 record. The Lakers will now play Texas A&M-Kingsville for the second time this weekend as the Javelinas handed the Lakers an opening round loss two days ago.

HOLMEN ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!!!! The sophomore sends an absolute bomb to straightaway centerfield and we're tied at two!!!!

WHAT. A. GAME. pic.twitter.com/SjSRVpqGXv

— GVSU Softball (@GVSUSoftball) May 25, 2019

 
The game was tied 0-0 through the first five innings before the UWF Argonauts put up two runs in the bottom of the sixth and the Lakers found themselves down two heading into their final at-bats. Freshman Lydia Goble got on with a leadoff bunt single before sophomore Nikoma Holmen sent a rocket over the fence in straightaway center to tie the game at two-all in the bottom of the seventh. Senior Allison Lipovsky held the Argonauts in check in the top of the eighth before Goble came back up and delivered the game-winning walk-off sacrifice fly to deep right centerfield to score Flaherty and secure the game. 
 

Goble delivers!! The freshman hits a deep sac fly as the Lakers make the incredible comeback and beat West Florida 3-2!! #AnchorUp pic.twitter.com/EW6ws4J3eg

— GVSU Softball (@GVSUSoftball) May 25, 2019

Lipovsky tossed an eight-inning complete game as she struck out eight Argonauts to just three walks while allowing two earned runs. 
 
On the offensive side, Holmen collected a team-high two hits and two RBI's while the other ribbie came courtesy of Goble's walk-off. Kaylie Rhynard, Kelcie LaTour, and Shannon Flaherty all tallied hits as well. 
 
It was nothing short of a pitching battle in the elimination game. The Argonauts tallied the first hit of the game in the top of the first inning and didn't tally another hit until the top of the fourth. A bunt single found a weak spot in the infield before a stolen base put a runner in scoring position for the first time all afternoon. A groundout, strikeout, and final pop out off the hand of Lipovsky to end the first scoring threat of the afternoon. 
 
On the offensive side for the Lakers, they struggled to get anything going, being put down 1-2-3 in the first before Holmen tallied the first hit of the afternoon in the second. 
 
West Florida finally broke the stalemate in the top of the sixth inning when another bunt fell down for a single before a stolen base and double to left center brought the first run of the game in for the 1-0 Argonaut lead. A walk was followed by another RBI single as the Argo's took the 2-0 lead in the top of the sixth. 
 
The Lakers threatened in the bottom of the sixth themselves, loading the bases with just one out but West Florida turned an impressive double play on a ball hit back up the middle as the Lakers failed to get anything across the plate. 
 
After holding the Argonauts at bay in the top of the seventh, Goble got on with a leadoff single before Holmen smashed a two-run home run to straightaway centerfield to tie the game at 2-2 and send it into the 8th inning. Lipovsky held strong and Goble delivered her walk-off sac fly just a few batters later. 
 
Again, GVSU will face Texas A&M-Kingsville this afternoon at 4:00 PM MDT (6:00 PM EDT). If they will, they will play the Javelinas again tomorrow morning while a loss would send them home.