2019 THE Spring Games

No. 11 Grand Valley State Blanks No. 23 SNHU & Crushes Lewis

No. 11 Grand Valley State Blanks No. 23 SNHU & Crushes Lewis

No. 11 Grand Valley State continues to crush the competition at THE Spring Games blanking No. 23 Southern New Hampshire.

Mar 9, 2019 by Chez Sievers
Grand Valley State vs. Southern New Hampshire

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The No. 11 Grand Valley State softball team picked up two more wins on Saturday afternoon, their final day at THE Spring Games in Clermont, Fla. After taking down Lewis, 8-1, GVSU captured a big win over No. 23-nationally ranked Southern New Hampshire, 4-0. The pair of wins pushes the Lakers to 14-2 overall and their winning streak to eight as they travel back to Allendale for just a few days as they are scheduled to travel to Cedarville, Ohio to take on the Yellow Jackets on Saturday, March. 16. 

The Lakers racked up 11 hits against the Flyers as they drove in eight runs. The offensive barrage was led by senior shortstop Shannon Flaherty who tallied two RBI's after going 2-3 from the plate while drawing a walk and scoring a run herself. Freshman centerfielder Joanna Cirrincione was 2-4 at the plate and scored two runs while sophomore right fielder Brooke Henning and fellow sophomore Taylor Rieger both picked up two hits as well.

Sophomore Hannah Beatus improved to 6-2 on the season after tossing a complete game, 101 pitch effort where she allowed six hits and just one run while striking out six and walking none. Her season ERA dropped below one after the win, as it is now down at 0.95 while she's tallied 47 K's and 10 walks.

GVSU picked up four more runs on seven hits against the Penmen, led by sophomore designated player Nikoma Holmen who knocked in two on her 2-3 performance while Lydia Goble and Shannon Flaherty both knocked in a run as well. Flaherty had another great game, going 3-3 at the plate to finish the day 5-6 with three RBI's.

It was senior righty Allison Lipovsky with the win in game two, as she went the distance with six K's to just one walk while allowing six hits and zero earned runs, improving to 8-0 on the season. She's now sporting a 0.64 ERA to go with 77 strikeouts and just eight walks and 27 total hits in her eight appearances.

Game One vs. Lewis (W, 8-1)
Bailey Thatcher and Goble knocked back to back singles before Kaylie Rhynard moved them both up with a sac bunt before Rieger would deliver a sac fly to right to score Thatcher from third. 

REPLAY | GVSU vs Lewis

The Flyers were able to knot things up in the bottom of the frame after also hitting back to back singles before a two-out wild pitch would allow a run to cross the plate. Fortunately for the Lakers, Thatcher would deliver a second sac fly as Cirrincione would score from third after knocking a one-out single.

GVSU would add to their lead in the sixth after putting two on with no one out thanks to a Henning single and Cirrincione bunt single. Flaherty then knocked on back up the middle to score Henning. The inning was ended with no more runs however as Cirincionne was thrown out at home before a pop out would end the threat.

Already leading 3-1 heading into the final inning, GVSU would tack on five insurance runs. Flaherty would knock in Rieger with one out before a bases-loaded walk to Plocinksi would score Holmen before a passed ball would allow Cirrincione to cross the plate as well. An error and Rhynard sac fly would round out the scoring for the game as Beatus would tally two more K's to end the game and earn the win.

Game Two vs. #23 Southern New Hampshire (W, 4-0)

The Penman collected two hits in the first two innings while the Lakers were held hitless until a big third inning saw them score three runs on three hits. Morgan Wagner would smash a leadoff triple to right field before a Flaherty single through the right side would allow her to jog across home plate for the first run of the game. Holmen then recorded a two-out double to center to bring home both Rhynard and Goble and put the Lakers up three. 

REPLAY | GVSU vs Southern New Hampshire

GVSU would tack on their final run of the game in the fourth as a costly two-out error by the Penman would allow a pinch-running Kayla Plastiak to score who was on base for LaTour after she roped a single through the left side.

Lipovsky tossed 1-2-3 innings in the fifth and sixth and got out of a huge jam in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win. The Penman had bases loaded with two outs but a sure-handed Flaherty at shortstop tagged second to end the game.

www.gvsulakers.com