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The top-seeded Grand Valley State softball team got the start they were looking for in the first game of the 2019 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament when they avenged an opening round loss a season ago with a 6-1 win over Hillsdale on Thursday afternoon (May 9). The Laker offense churned out 10 hits, including two home runs, en route to the five-run victory as they got another solid start in the circle from senior Allison Lipovsky. 
 
GVSU will face #4 seed and reigning National Champion Southern Indiana tomorrow morning at 11:00 AM for a shot at the championship game on Saturday (May 11). The loser of tomorrow mornings game will play the late afternoon game against the winner of #5 Wayne State and #8 Hillsdale and will have to beat the victorious team twice on Saturday. 
 
With the win this afternoon however, Lipovsky improved to 27-2 on the season as she tossed a complete game-four hitter, allowing just one run in the top of the seventh inning after striking out nine Chargers. 
 
On the offensive side, Nikoma Holmen and Kelcie LaTour both launched homers as they tied for the team-lead with two RBI's apiece with Holmen finishing 1-3 and LaTour 2-3. Taylor Rieger also added a couple of hits and an RBI while Shannon Flaherty chipped in the sixth and final ribbie. In all, eight Lakers notched hits in the win. 
 
After Lipovsky tallied two K's and Wagner ended the opening half inning by throwing out Hillsdale's Kish on a steal attempt, the Lakers put two up on the board in their first at-bats. Kaylie Rhynard put down a perfect bunt single before Holmen launched a no-doubter into the wind in left field for the first runs of the game. 
 
The Lakers would add two more in the bottom of the second. With runners on second and third, Rhynard laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score Thatcher before Rieger would get a single to fall in right field to score Wagner for the 4-0 lead after two. 
 
GVSU would score for the third inning in a row when LaTour dropped an opposite field home run over the right field fence for the 5-0 lead. Lipovsky continued to cruise through the Charger lineup as not a single baserunner made it to second base in the first six innings of play before she surrendered a solo shot in the top of the seventh that didn't end up meaning much of anything as the Lakers were up 6-0 at that point. 
 
Again, GVSU will face Southern Indiana tomorrow in the first game of the day at 11:00 AM. If they win, they move to the championship on Saturday but if they lose they will play again at 4:00 PM.