Softball Loses Home Doubleheader To No. 14 GVSU

On Senior Day on Sunday (April 25) at Brookside Park, Ashland University's softball team lost twice to No. 14-ranked Grand Valley State, 4-0 and 9-1 in five innings.
 
Game 1 was scoreless until the top of the third inning, when the Lakers (31-7 overall, 22-4 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) put up four runs. Ashland (11-19, 8-12) loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn't push a run across.
 
Freshman pitcher Jillian Middleton (3-9) authored a complete-game six-hitter, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out six.
 
In Game 2, the Lakers scored a run in the top of the first to take the early lead, but the Eagles had a quick response in the form of a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the first from senior shortstop Abigail Butler.
 
Grand Valley State re-took the lead at 8-1 in the top of the fourth, then added one more run in the top of the fifth for the final margin of victory.
 
Sophomore pitcher Josie Duncan (4-5) yielded eight hits and six runs and struck out one in 3 1/3 innings.

Addition to Butler, second baseman Emma Lawson, outfielder Alli Hylton, infielder Jaylin Narvaez and outfielder Amanda Wire were honored between games on Sunday.
 
Sunday's games were the third and fourth of a 16-game homestand for Ashland, which will continue that stretch on Tuesday (April 27) at 3 p.m. vs. Saginaw Valley State.