UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The No. 24 Grand Valley State softball team swept a doubleheader from Saginaw Valley Sunday (April 24) on the road to drop their magic number to one for a GLIAC regular season title. The Lakers won game one, 3-1, then took game two, 6-1, in a weather-shortened, five-inning affair. The Lakers are now 36-5 overall and 21-3 in GLIAC play with four regular season games remaining.
With the game one win, the Lakers clinched their fourth straight season (not including the canceled 2020) with at least 20 wins in GLIAC play.
Hannah Beatus (W, 17-2) allowed just one unearned run in the complete-game victory, scattering two hits and four walks while striking out six. The reigning GLIAC Pitcher of the Year has allowed just six earned runs in 84.2 innings against conference opponents this season.
The Laker offense got her the lead in the third, utilizing four straight singles, including an RBI hit from
Lydia Goble to jump in front.
Taylor Rieger would contribute a sacrifice fly later in the inning.
Kaitlin Lynch grounded out to drive home an insurance run in the fourth, which would prove plenty for Beatus.
Joanna Cirrincione had three more hits in game one, all via bunt singles, to continue her dominant stretch. She also had a hit in game two to push her hitting streak to 15 consecutive games with 11 multi-hit games in that stretch. Since her move to the 2-hole in the lineup, a 10-game sample size, the Lakers are averaging 7.2 runs per game. Goble has now driven in at least one run in six straight games, driving in 10 runs over that span. Rieger has an RBI in four straight games.
The Lakers struck in the first inning of game two as the first three hitters all singled. Lynch had her first of three hits in the game, Cirrincione followed suit, then Goble lined a hit to center to bring home a run. Three more hits brought home another run in the second, with Lynch serving as provider this frame with an RBI knock.
Then the long ball took over. After Saginaw Valley got a run back without a hit in their home third,
Taylor Rieger launched a homer over the fence in left-center on the first pitch of the fourth inning before a three-run blast from Goble in the fifth broke things open. Two batters into the sixth, the skies opened and the game was called official with the Lakers as winners.
Genesis Eggart (W, 11-1) allowed the one run on two hits for her second win in as many days. She walked four and hit a pair of batters while striking out four. She worked out of a two-on, nobody out jam in the first to preserve the lead to help the Lakers eventually pull away.
The Lakers will wrap up the regular season next weekend when they visit Purdue Northwest Friday and Parkside Saturday. There are scenarios in which GVSU clinches a GLIAC Championship and the 1-seed in the GLIAC Tournament before next weekend. Follow gvsulakers.com and @GVSUSoftball on social media for updates throughout the week.
