HAMMOND, Ind. – The Grand Valley State softball team split a GLIAC road doubleheader against Purdue Northwest Friday afternoon. The Lakers won game one 9-6 before falling in game two 9-1 to move to 26-22 overall on the season and 16-10 in the GLIAC.
In game one, GVSU got off to a fast start scoring two runs in the top half of the opening inning.
Camryn Hall led the game with a double. Next batter,
Eliana Eiland launched a home run to left field for her first of the season. Purdue Northwest quickly answered in the bottom half of the first with three runs to take a 3-2 lead. The Pride scored on a triple to right field to make it 2-1 and followed it with a two-run home run to center field to make it 3-2.
GVSU would get the lead back in the second inning with three runs to make it 5-3 Lakers.
Jasmine Mauk tied the game at three with a single to left field. Later in the inning, Eiland smoked a double to left center to score Mauk and
Brynn Taliercio. Purdue Northwest would have an answer again in the bottom half of the inning with two runs to make it 6-5 GVSU. The Pride hit a single to center field followed by a sacrifice fly to left field. Purdue Northwest would tie the game at six in the fifth inning on a solo home run to left field.
Heading in the seventh inning tied at six, GVSU would score three runs in the top half to make it 9-6.
Elizabeth Wesoloski led the inning with a single up the middle. After a fielder's choice to that kept a runner on first,
Kylee Hoebeke singled through the left side to put runners at first and second. Next batter,
Faith Edwards lined a single to right field and a bobble by the right fielder allowed
Grace Usher to score from second for the go-ahead run. Mauk and Taliercio would hit back-to-back RBI singles for the Lakers to increase the lead to 9-6.
Kylie Swierkos would shut the Pride down in order to secure the game one win.
Eliana Eiland batted 2-3 with four RBI, home run, double, and two runs scored.
Camryn Hall went 3-5 at the plate with a double and run scored.
Faith Edwards hit 2-2 with two walks and two runs scored.
Jasmine Mauk added two hits with two RBI and a run scored.
Elizabeth Wesoloski notched two hits and one RBI in the win.
Kylie Swierkos picked up the win for the Lakers after tossing 5.1 innings of relief allowing one run off four hits with one strikeout.
In game two, Purdue Northwest jumped out to an early lead scoring four runs in the first inning. The Lakers would get on the board in the second inning off an RBI double by
Allyson Theunick that scored Kylie Hoebeke. The Pride would answer with a two-run home run in the third inning to take a 6-1 lead. Purdue Northwest would add three runs in the fourth inning and would keep GVSU off the board in the fifth inning to claim the eight-run mercy after five.
The Lakers will close out the regular season at home for senior day tomorrow, May 2
nd at 2:30 PM at the GVSU Softball field. The Lakers will honor their seven seniors prior to first pitch of game one. The game will be streamed live on FloCollege.
