>> Hi again, everybody.

And welcome back to an all-new episode of the Grand Valley State Sports report here in WG Vu.

I'm your host, Steve Lloyd-Jones.

Here's what we have coming up for you tonight.

Lakers softball sweeps their weekend continues to stay hot GV issue.

Baseball split their contests as they played 6 games.

Laker lacrosse dominated in Allendale once again.

And we'll also update you on the Jea issue.

Tennis teams as they get closer to the postseason Lockett in Laker Nation as the Grand Valley State Sports report starts right now.

Well, it's been 3 weeks since GVSU softball tees to defeat.

You've got to go back to March.

20th the game there at TIFF and they lost 2 to one to find the last time.

The Lakers last day to Callahan's team is rolling in the past week saw victories over 2 big rivals as GVSU sits atop the gliac coaches.

With me now to tell us more about these games and the season could see gunmen.

Thank you for having me.

So 9, 0, in conference play.

25 3.

Now overall, you guys in first place in the conference this streak.

Lots of things go into it.

But while the bats seeming to really jump off the page or >> yeah, this weekend where we get the bats will him pretty well.

And I was nice to see that.

You know, I've been on Saturday particular challenge that he must let a single to death and they took that to heart and very first pitch we would we not get through.

So that was nice to see.

And then they they just kept that role in all day long.

>> Yeah, the week as will look back over overall.

Her talked about the rivals.

You beat Fair State to begin things.

2 to one.

That was back on the the 3rd last Monday and be this great pitching as usual, a tight game.

So you're you're winning games.

We talk about offense.

You're winning games where you just out deuce teams and shouldn't in terms of raw numbers.

But you're also winning games like this 2 to one where that critical execution is also at.

>> Yeah, and you know, those are the tight games are the ones where we were.

We really kind of see the character of the team.

You know, they're bound and determined on set to pull those out and and hold steady.

And that's only going to help us when we get into postseason situation because, you know, we're going to face good teams throughout the entire rest of the season.

And we need to make sure that we can handle those diverse cities and then things like that.

There are times that, you know, you're going to struggle with the bat, you or you might have a an air you have to overcome or are things like that are pitchers is off a little bit.

But if we've got all the facets working together, 1, 1, falters just a little bit.

The other to hopefully come pick them up.

And those close games are a great learning experiences.

>> We've talked about the offense and the pitching.

How how do you feel that your defense right now?

>> I feel very strong about our defense will really start to jail as far as you know, getting to know each other because we do have some new faces in there.

So everybody's playing well on the least.

And on the effort is there, you know, there's got there's going to be errors is going to be mistakes.

But hopefully those are few and far between and we don't have back-to-back errors.

We talk about that all the time.

Stars back-to-back negative.

So those are the things that we like to we'd like to see.

>> Well, to one win against Ferris State begin the week for the Lakers on the schedule.

So you have this.

The sandwich of Rye worries for state that the beginning and Saginaw Valley over the weekend.

But in the middle, a couple of games are Davenport.

You're able to beat them.

The Panthers, 72 in the the first game and then 62 in the second game against them where you've got 4.

We're in the 10th inning.

So some extra baseball or softball rather for you there.

>> Yeah, you know, and Mccourt's a good team, you know, and again, their crosstown rival.

So, you know, fares has always been arrival.

Saga is over.

It's been a while.

But Davenport is becoming that as well.

You know, and we just didn't get to some key hits early in the game.

But then finally in the 10th inning, we broke it open and we've got the got the job done.

>> Absolutely, again, had to be this 12 strikeouts in the 7 to win at Davenport.

You have multiple players here with with multiple hits in the 6 to win.

You're able to get Playtech with with a nice outing for you.

10 innings thrown 5 strikeouts, 5 walks 144 pitches thrown.

So a great outing by her.

And again, the offense, 13 hits in there.

So you you just had great production all around.

>> It is.

And that's what we need.

We need the entire team to produce from top to bottom.

And we're getting the bottom of the lineup to start to produce a little bit.

So we're getting some runs out of them.

And we're not just relying on one or 2 players to drive in the run.

So that really helps a lot.

You know, we can start spreading that out a little bit and and not be able to create a little bit more offense throughout the entire lineup.

>> We started the segment with this kind of this rule.

You guys, are you feel that?

I mean, as a team as this week has been going, you get a win over fares.

You get a couple here over Davenport.

Now you're going into a huge weekend series at Saginaw.

Are you feeling that momentum that you have?

>> We do.

I mean, we take every, you know, every situation and we try to learn from it, whether it's a win, whether it's a loss.

Weather is just one situation that happened in the game.

We try to learn from that and that to fund a loss early in in March.

When we got back from Florida, you know, we had set a little bit.

We came back from Florida.

We set for a week.

There was some weather concerns, things like that.

We set again after that game.

But we learn from that game and, you know, just the mindset and the mentality of going into a game and being prepared for that, no matter what, when we play what the weather is, we have to be ready and in the team is taking that to heart.

And so they've really, really started to gel well over the last few weeks and putting things together.

>> Absolutely.

And you were prepared.

This was a big series with Saginaw.

This was where the Lakers have the opportunity to get separation in the conference standings.

And you've got that, Dana, 11 to 3 in the first game.

Big second inning.

You got 6 runs, but it was maybe the thrilling when they're the second one.

The second game of the doubleheader as you're able to get a 10 9 win late heroics from Libya, Goble home run in the 8th.

You win by one over rival like that, just enormous.

>> You know that that shot that would hit.

That was that was a laser may be the umpire said you could tell it, says it left the bat.

He's because it sounded like it was out, you know, but it quite honestly, the heroics came when we got down 72 and we battled back, scored 4 runs immediately again to to pull us back within one run that he never gave up.

They never faltered.

They they were never fazed by it.

And to me, that's the heroics, you know, because it took the entire team to do that.

And that's what I was most proud of.

>> Conference standings, Grande Valley, 9 in all Saginaw Valley State.

Now 7, 3, your week coming up here, doubleheader Tuesday with Northwood that will be at home double header against Wayne State on Wednesday at home.

And then you're at the double header.

Fair State coming up next Sunday.

>> Correct.

We got some big games coming up this week on northward.

Got us down in Florida.

So we need to take care of business there.

And and then, of course, the conferences is still up in the air with so we can to can't rest on our laurels.

We need to stay focused and stay after it.

>> Doing a great job thus far.

Appreciate your time.

Thank you to make it look with those.

We'll be right back.

As the Grand Valley State Sports report continues here at Wgu.

>> Winners of 3 in a row.

Gvsu baseball sits in second place in the Glee acts standings and as an overall record of 19 and 9th head coach Jamie, that he'll he and his team saw the past week starts slowly before rallying to take the series of Parkside.

He joins me now with more details for us.

Jamie, welcome.

Good to see you again.

Thanks for him.

>> So hot of late the weekend started on a rough note.

Couple losses.

The Wings stayed at home and then you start the series with Parkside that was on the road.

A walk-off home run.

They get you in game one of that.

But you really bounce back nicely.

>> Yeah.

So the week started off, as you mentioned, with with point state.

They played pretty well.

It's a really solid team.

You know, we planned this weekend and I think we'll be more prepared this time sometimes with the weather, the way the pitching in and some things get, you know, switched out their schedule.

Sometimes that affects, you know, affect things.

You know, when you're you're throwing guys that aren't typically starters, we have to mix and match are pitching their so nothing we can do.

We've got to have a good week of practice and be prepared to to do well.

But yeah, going up to parkside.

It was it was a, you know, kind of heart-wrenching.

You know, we've swung it well all day.

I mean, we had I think, 18, 1920, it somewhere in there.

We had a good handful and we had the lead the whole game.

So the only that they had the whole get the whole day was a walk-off home run for it.

So, yes, so they got the weekend started.

But our guys rebounded well, we played well the rest of the weekend.

You know, again pitching we brought back net, right, Nick, Reade Koski and Kobe Phipps have been thrown really well.

We brought them back on 4 days rest, which isn't ideal, but they both got it out and threw really well.

>> Yeah, I think one of the things people think about that with northern baseball works, it's the south.

They get a chance to play more all the time.

All that stuff, more reps.

But maybe one of the other had an advantage is what you're talking about.

Not stressing a pitching staff as much because they're not always having a makeup games in that weather as you guys do.

>> Yeah.

Now they get they do get the advantage of playing 3 games a week which allows them to throw their 3 top starters, you know, 3 games.

But for us in the North, we have to bunch, you know, 5, 6, games into a week and sometimes that can be a challenge.

But, you know, on the flip side on the positive, it does give your hitters a chance to establish some consistency.

>> Well, and Grand Valley is doing that right now.

Lead the league right and hitting, which is, you know, fantastic.

So let's talk more about in detail this Parkside series as you again.

You start on the loss, the walk-off home run.

But boy, Nick Kwiatkoski wouldn't anchor this guy's been for you this year and you needed him to step up.

He really gives you a solid pitching performance in the bats.

Come around them.

>> Yeah.

And he really gets the I mean, just the day started.

Well, he just such a tone setter with with how reliable is with drone strikes.

Us really good practice habits.

Again, I stress this all the time to our guys, good practice habits that lead over in transition into good game habits.

And and Nick is the epitome of that just continues to throw strikes.

He works well off of a few pitches.

He's, you know, any county can throw any pitch and he just attacking hitters.

So he's he's really in his own right now.

>> Grande Valley won that game, which was game 2 of the series.

3 to one was the final, but Koski, 7 innings.

He scattered just a couple of hits over that span.

2 walks 6 strikeouts gets 10 groundouts to which is, you know, keeping the ball.

You guys look as the staff just 85 pitches in this one to to wrap up the Lakers getting solid hitting.

Spencer Nelson was 3 for 4 com, not a home run in this game.

>> And the bats would continue with that surge in this series offensively and our guys are really locked in with approaches one.

And again, one thing that we continue to stress is just play the game, play the game while the when advance runners, when when you get an opportunity U.S. coroner's when you get an opportunity now guys have been they they really came alive.

Their those I mean, the really the whole week we still scored 13 runs and now lost the first game.

That's, you know, it's tough to score.

13 runs a lose.

However, we still swung it well that day.

But, you know, as a team, that's more like putting the whole thing together and a lot of times the offense is what leads into the confidence defensively.

Sometimes guys will carry.

Unfortunately, they'll carry a bad bet out into the field and no have misshapen, you know, maybe that leads to run or 2 against us.

So very, very important to keep swinging.

Well, because a lot of times that does transition into good defense, too.

>> Interesting point.

Well, so game 3 of the series.

Again, you're bringing your just in your pitching staff.

As we mentioned here, due to weather from this weekend will be Phipps.

He's a solid outing for him.

He scattered 10 hits over 7.

In the 3rd you get Sam let coming in.

He gets his 3rd save of the season.

Offense puts up 7 runs here.

Spencer Nelson, again, Red hot 3 out of 5 home run a double a counter Shuman.

He also had a nice game.

So you're getting more and more contributors.

The offense, the pitching defense, solid and really nice.

>> I really like our offense of death this year.

More than any.

I've really had, you know, each day I going to get into the game thinking, let's try this.

Let's try that.

And it's not that we have anything established in terms of these 9 have to play every day.

We got some good debt thurs, you know, 13, 14 guys that are contributing.

So it's kind of fun, making out the lineup and get more guys some opportunity and get an opportunity to contribute to a team.

But there's a lot of guys up and down the lineup that are working hard.

And, you know, there's some guys that take really, really good batting practice each and every day, which is a great habit to to hopefully transition into a game.

But it's got to start with with good batting practice.

In my opinion, you can't just be sloppy every day and then expect to perform on game day.

I don't think that's how it works.

So we've got a lot of guys that really work hard.

So there's some guys that probably don't even get in the line of that could contribute just as well as some of the guys in the lineup.

So I really like the way they go about their work and ship every day.

>> Well, you take the series with an exclamation point here, 15 for the finale over the weekend as you get that solid pitching again or Island.

Pete's picks up his second one of the season.

You get 13 hits.

Burn.

Some your your cleanup man right is the 3rd base.

He is 4 RBI is in this game.

Big six-run 8th inning Grand Valley blows that game wide open in the series.

>> And one of the things that we continue to stress to our guys is add on runs soap.

It's to 3 run game a lot of times that gives our pitchers a lot more confidence and a lot more breathing room when we add 2, 3, rounds.

If we can just add on, you know, every time we get an opportunity to run in scoring position with with less than 2 outs, just add that one run makes a huge difference in a lot of times.

One leads to 2 and and now the sun.

You get a little bit of momentum and put up big numbers like the 6 from a thing that we had there.

>> 99 overall 8, 5, in the conference in the few moments.

We have left a huge week.

Coming up, Northwood Wayne State.

You're going to have Wayne State for 4 games here.

Northwood a game.

So yeah, a lot on the plate here for you.

>> Yeah, it should be exciting for our guys.

It's always fun to play against.

Good teams brings the best out of a son.

You know, hopefully a good week of practice will allow us to carry good mindset into the weekend.

I keep telling our guys it doesn't matter who's in the other dugout.

The game of baseball is about how well you play the game.

It's not like football or basketball.

We have somebody who, you know, pushing and shoving her, you know, Gardea face-to-face.

It's it's just a game.

So we're just playing against the game.

So it's it's it's about us playing the game extremely well.

>> So we can continue that.

Yeah, when you're at home with those winds state games, you you guys will get a break with some decent weather, right?

Great now, but it should be fun and in solid position right now in the conference looking to get their 20th win of the season coming up this week.

Thank you, Jamie.

Yeah, thanks for having me.

We'll be right back.

As the Grand Valley State Sports report continues here at Wgu.

This one game on the schedule this week for GB issue across as Glee Acpo Concordia.

Saint Paul came down Dale because he lawler's team down the CSP 19 to 5 now alone atop Ugly Act with an overall record of 8, 4, books.

Lawler's.

With me now to talk about the latest head coach.

Thanks.

Thanks for being here.

And you know, you say the 19 to 5 Concordia Saint Paul, the team that you're seeing for the second time.

So you had made the trip to them.

They came back and you handle them quite well.

We'll get into some of those numbers, but nice probably to just to kind of have one game to focus on for the week, right?

>> Yeah, obviously we're familiar with CSP plant them earlier in the season.

And I think we had good quarters in our first match but didn't necessarily play a full 60 minutes.

So that was really our focus as a team.

And I think we started really strong.

You had a great 2nd quarter adjustments and was great to, you know, go into halftime with that.

A running clock.

>> Yeah.

He to 2 after one quarter.

As you said, the judgment in the 2nd quarter.

You get 5 goals.

They have none and then a nice 4th quarter as well.

5 to one to outscore them there.

Some of these numbers again, you help us understand these even more the shots last week.

You're talking about how you've seen that improving with your team.

Get 41 to 13 overall in shots but shots on goal.

31 to 10, which really tells you some good stuff.

>> Yeah, I think part of that is the decision making of what shots we're settling to taken.

I think sometimes in those games it's easy to settle for.

Maybe a not great shot.

You know, not all shots are created equal.

We kind of say.

And so it was really nice to see our offense be disciplined, you know, work together to get high quality shots in the middle of the field.

And, you know, as we've seen are shot on goal, percentage go up in this, you know, winning streak of the last couple games that's definitely helped are offensive production.

>> Production is used to young champagne Burr singer all with 4 goals apiece in this one.

A little boost had her first career hat trick.

>> It's been great to see Ella just gain more confidence game in and game out.

We've expected a lot from her and her freshman season with some of the injuries that we've had and it's been great.

Her being a little bit more aggressive to cage.

She's always been really solid in transition and using your speed.

But our team was really excited to be behind her for that first hat trick.

>> Well, absolutely.

And then the caused turnovers.

A nice staff again for you.

11 to 4 Grand Valley.

An advantage to draw controls, able to get those as well 18 to 9.

So that toughness that willing to fight it out where you need to get those.

>> For sure, I'm Maddie Molly, you know, said Asher Draw control unit has just been getting more and more momentum.

You in the top 3 drug unit right now in the country in terms of efficiency.

And they take a lot of pride in that.

And they've been really competitive to just keep pushing and get those numbers, you know, from 50 to 60, you know, now some games.

We're getting close to 75% of the draw controls.

So it's been great to keep that focus in competitiveness no matter what the score is.

>> O Grande Valley as mentioned, the 8, 4, record overall 3 know within the conference.

But you have a busy week coming up.

A little bit of that is the some makeup.

So at Davenport coming up on Wednesday of this week, then you'll be at Walsh on Friday and then that report again on Sunday.

But that time at home.

>> Yeah, with make up the first ave import game just with some scheduling conflicts earlier on in the season.

And so although it's a busy week of 3 games, it is kind of nice that 2 of those are similar opponent in terms of scouting in prepping, you know, that should make for the second Sunday King to be a little bit easier to turn around.

But while she's had a great season so far, I think they're, you know, 9, 2, And they were really strong goal keeper.

They put up some great numbers.

And so we're really focused for that competitive game on Friday.

>> Well, to it have important sandwiched in between one with Walsh's.

You say a challenge.

So appreciate your time.

Great talking with you because you thank you.

Thanks.

Well, we'll continue with more of the Grand Valley State Sports report after this year.

WTTV, the Bush men's and women's tennis will head into the final games of their regular season this week with both teams hoping to find a solid rhythm heading into the postseason.

Grand Valley State men's tennis team dropped a 5 to decision against Ferris State on Senior Day.

The Lakers fall to 10 7 on the season and 2 in 2 in the gliac this week TV issue, women's tennis got a sweep against various state on senior day to stay undefeated in the gliac with the 5 record, the Laker women improved to 12 5 overall on the season.

We caught up with head coach Sam Shaw and some GVSU student athletes.

>> After the match is to get their thoughts on the performances and the teams.

>> Yeah, well, it was nice for the opportunity to recognize our seniors.

On the men's side.

We have 17 years, 12 guys on the team.

So majority of our team, we're able to to say some words about an and recognize make for their contributions to our program over the years.

Now, come today on the men's side, wasn't what we wanted to it happened.

But I think we learned a lot from this match.

We grew up in this match of the guys finally.

Well, really hard.

We just come in and get it on the day.

There's nothing really good season.

They they came ready to play today.

Show credit to them all.

Get better and be ready with pleasant again in a couple weeks.

>> I mean, of course, today was really rough day.

These guys have been there Mason job.

This is thing.

We put up a fight.

We did everything that we cool in line to be the mind's eye.

I tried everything that I can and I ended up getting.

And and that there said it was a really good win for me has been a tough season for me.

A couple injuries here and there, but they're fully part of this team.

I know Dave, for that would put into the court, I think, is just a family thing just to connections that we have developed here or my friends.

They become a family now.

And I I'm really proud of the team that we have.

The connections that we built together.

That type of thing is that we play these is really good.

We have a really good team and I have all my trust and his team and I know we're going to do amazing things up there after a grand jury.

>> Yeah.

On the women's side we played well top to bottom.

We want to the 3 doubles matches to win the doubles point and then we won one through 6 single.

So there is strong wind secure one for the ladies.

They played really well.

I'm actually every single one of them.

Some good outcome for for those going to see that.

So for the season on the women's side Ther having really great results, they're undefeated in conference right now one weekend.

And also we're hoping the to maintain that they're they're looking to be strong in the region.

So we're excited for the postseason to to be here for them.

>> I think that was a great win today.

We want to face and that's that's a good team.

I think we came out being prepared for it, though, like I think everyone's trying their best.

So we could Tennessee, there is.

But we also not expected to.

I think everybody did a great job.

>> I also think it was a well-deserved win.

We had to adjust playing outdoors, but I think we all worked hard and we're all focused.

So I think is a good one.

>> All I can to date stayed.

I think by now we need to like focus on being healthy being the feds for a games when not to break down as we have 2 more games and the good tournament and then we have the generals probably so I think we should like the it.

Floyd keep practicing in, keeps going up.

They can either buy these guys a good.

And I think that would also like so up on the court as well.

I agree.

I think recovery is probably very important.

I'm looking forward to the gliac tournament coming up on taking it one step at a time and then regionals.

But we're in a pretty good position.

So I think we're on the right path.

Thanks for the support.

I thing I think you have a good support system.

Both are teammates and everybody who comes out every time and they support the second.

They're doing great job and I know we do have in the courts.

But whenever we are playing out, I'd always supporting us.

I think that's a good job.

And thank you for that.

>> Thank you for everybody comes even when they have to drive 20 minutes premier, we always appreciate our fans and the Lakers.

>> We do have postseason coming up.

We're still focused on our next match.

Is that we have coming.

We have a tough trip to the Upper Peninsula where we're going to play Michigan Tech and then Lake Superior State.

So 2 tough teams and will just be another opportunity to to get ready for the tough matches and will have come postseason.

But well, teams are pretty focused, pretty motivated, pretty dialed in right now.

So we're we're looking for the to competing for championships this postseason.

>> And that's all the time that we have this week here in the Grand Valley State Sports report Laker Baseball will hit the diamond in Hallandale tomorrow for 03:00PM matchup against northwards as they get some Nightly Act action.

Will that play a four-game series against Wayne State all weekend with the game's running Friday to Sunday.

The issue softball also take on Northwood Tuesday and now bill battling the Timberwolves in a double header.

On Wednesday, the team will host Wayne State in Allendale in another double header.

First pitch for both matchups is scheduled for 03:00PM to round out the weekend head north and play a double header against Spears state in Big Rapids on Sunday.

April 16th at 01:00PM.

The issue across will play 3 games this week after the road trip.

They'll head back to Allendale to take on Davenport for a second time in 3 games on Sunday.

April 16 for upcoming games as well as live broadcast of every Laker athletic program.

Visit GVSU Lakers dot com for more of the show.

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Wgu I'm Steve Lloyd-Jones have a great week Laker Nation and as always and corrupt