>> Hi, everybody.

And welcome back to all new episode of the Grand Valley State Sports report here.

Wgu.

I'm your host Steve Lloyd-Jones and here's what's coming your way tonight.

TV issue men's and women's outdoor track and field took home titles of the gliac championship TV issue.

Lacrosse is going dancing as they get an NCAA tournament.

Bit TVs.

Your baseball wrap up their regular season this past week and Lakers softball competed ugly act tournament action and is headed to the NCAA Tournament locking in Laker Nation as the Grand Valley State Sports report starts.

>> Right now, the TV issue women's lacrosse team is going dancing as they got selected to compete in the NCAA Tournament starting this week.

There are 4 seed in their region were able to speak.

The head coach McKenzie Lawler this morning to get her thoughts on her team in their position heading into the first round.

Take a listen.

>> We're so excited.

There was a little anxiety, maybe it throughout the day yesterday.

You know, we're waiting on the tarmac and felt like regardless of the outcome of that championship, we would have a very good chance to get in.

But obviously, like you said, nothing is certain.

And so, you know, we're really excited for the selection show last night, obviously winning ugly act, regular season title tournament title and making it back to the regional were all goals for us this year so that the team is just really proud.

Despite the adversity that we faced, that even in tough times we've been able to accomplish those 3 and excited to make the next step of this community.

Yeah, Regis is a very athletic team.

They're also very spread out in terms of their offensive production so that a lot of threats on the field and obviously it's great that we did play them early on in the season.

So I think our team is a little bit familiar, but a lot has changed since the first week of March.

You know, for us it just I don't think it was one of our best shooting games.

You know, their goalie is very tall, left-handed kinds of different style of play.

And, you know, just even I don't think we finished as well as we should have backs.

And that's really been a focus, has been very proud of her often to step that up.

And this, you know, when Dean Street that we're on right now.

>> Obviously being down a few players, you know, we're looking to change up the strategy, but it's been awesome, even just in these first couple days of practice.

Now that we know the selection show, how our team is really bought into that.

I think they're excited to try something different.

You know, we're excited to have new players, you know, step up and the role that we need them for Friday.

And and players have answered that call time and time again throughout the season and so really excited for those next people to get their chance.

>> Yeah, we definitely make tweaks that.

I think that's common for every point that we've seen.

You know, even those teams in Gliac player that you're playing 2 or 3 times, you never quite go into the game with the exact same game plan as you did before.

You know, there's always something to improve and sell for us.

Another big thing this year was having a very high strength of schedule.

We had the highest rate, the schedule in the region.

And I think that's really benefited us because a lot of teams that are in the tournament, we have actually played this year.

And so everyone who's in our region with Maryville, Indiana, Regis, we've all played before.

And so I think that really helps give our team confidence that even though we didn't win those games, we felt like we could have if we would have executed and so being able to get another chance and hopefully improve the game plan and improve our execution.

We're really excited to see what the outcomes can be for this week.

There's actually more details to iron out with Regis hosting in Denver last year when we went to regionals, it was an Indianapolis to kind of easy to have fun of us and get down the day before the game today will kind of work with our staff Grande Valley to figure out, you know, when we fly now with Terry getting in.

But we're hoping for a Wednesday departure, I'm going to be able to get in get settled.

Have a nice day of prep on Thursday before the game on Friday morning.

>> Well, another spring, another ugly act.

Outdoor track and field championship for both the GVSU men's and women's teams for the women.

This championship marks the 23rd consecutive title.

On the men's side, the wind is their 5th consecutive championship.

Joined now by head coach Jerry Baltics.

Jerry, this is becoming like a rite of passage for you.

Guys has been for a while, but nonetheless a great job.

Both on the men's and women's side as you pick up a championships here in the gliac outdoor championship.

>> Yeah, we had a great weekend.

Their week Wednesday, Thursday, Friday over a dam port.

You know, athletes came ready to compete.

As you can see that point totals.

We have a lot of good things happen.

But to to do that, you, you know, our athletes have to come in with the right mindset and great focus to compete at a high level.

And and across the board.

We did that very, very high level.

So, you know, great credit to our student athletes, Norris, our coaching staff to have our student athletes are ready and prepared.

On top of that.

We've got some great weather.

So he called a so my great results over the 3 days.

>> That's right.

These events competition taking place in Caledonia that import University and to some some notes really overall here, Gerri, you can touch on 23 individual champions for Grand Valley.

Now that's out of 42 possible.

So that's a big number right there.

And again, for the women 23rd consecutive the men.

This is the 16th title for them.

5th in a row, but 16th since 2001.

>> And one thing we talk about it is we can't just walk in there and expected to automatically happen.

You know, want to bunch of them and pro, you know, paper got the best squad, both sides.

But you have to come in prepared, mentally and physically in ready to execute at a high level to take care of business move.

If we do that to you, we felt we can walk away with the some in a lot of individual champions.

We had a handful of events where you will want to put 2 people on the podium.

A few spots, 1, 2, 3, and got off reporting finisher.

So it was a great 3 days for for for student athletes in our program for sure.

>> So let's talk about the women first again, 23rd consecutive title, a Grande Valley, a total of 258 points in second place with Saginaw Valley State and 3rd was wean state.

But on the women's side ever, Richard, she captures the field Athlete Award overall and Kate saying picks up the the freshman track athlete for a jury.

>> And that was great.

She's been can system the last couple years throughout her career.

So winning the shot, put winning.

The discussion is ranked second in the country in both of those events.

So you know that our throws crews really dominating right now.

I the discus list down and say unless we get the top 3 growers in the country, plus are for thrower is ranked 8th or 9th.

So 3rd crew coach counties doing a heck of a job.

Getting them prepared, ready to go in.

Case saying bounces back off for a great freshman indoor season to earned that the freshman track athlete of the meet winning the forehead 100 finishing runner-up in the 200 and anchoring our 4 by one.

When she got the baton, she was actually behind probably by a 5, 6, 7, meters and and ran ran athlete down to win that title.

So she's an incredible freshman year and they're looking forward to her the rest of her career with us.

>> So that's where the women 258 points.

The cramped capture the crown, the men 288 points.

His Grand Valley wins this in second place was Davenport, Saginaw Valley State took 3rd on the men's side and individually talk about these guys.

Jury.

Jake Urban gets the field athlete in this championships this year.

And Ethan Smith picks up the freshman track athlete.

>> Jake, another senior guards it that said, you know, for 5 years ago was nowhere near where he's at right now.

So huge credit to Jay King and the work that he's put in over the last 3 years.

And coach Conley and really developing Jake.

And the more of the best stories in the country is ranked second in the country in the hammer.

Throw second for this thrower, their program history and that the hammer throw.

We've had some really, really good throws come through the program, budget one that the hammer and then he doesn't throw the javelin very often.

But he threw the spear long enough for the further for been up to finish 3rd.

So 16 points for squad.

You know, there's not too many hammer.

Javelin thrower is out there.

So it's impressive double.

But I also like to highlight Bobby Maxwell, Bobby, the javelin thrower, one, the jab for us in a meet record.

64 meters and change and bumps him up and attempting to country list in and say, listen or get him into dense a championship.

So again, our throws crew on both sides are are performing at a very, very high level.

And then another spreader.

I got a freshman athlete of the meet Ethan Smith, finishing runner-up in the hurdles.

Anything that was banged up all last year with a hand injury and did a great job coming off surgery last summer.

The 2 worked really, really hard to put himself in a position to progress, finishing second in the one 10 hurdles and performing very, very well.

>> So that's both the of the women and the men individually as teams in the clear outdoor track and field championships, Grand Valley's coaching staff also picking up a recognition as the best of the bunch.

Jerry touch on this quick turnaround.

That's going to happen here for your athletes trying to qualify for nationals.

It's a little bit.

It's not exactly cut and dried.

I know you and I talking about that off air.

Set the scene for us.

What what your athletes have coming up this week.

>> Yeah.

So you know, on the high school scene, you've got a regional mean were you compete in the top 2 runners advance to the state meet in ours is drastically different for every media.

The years an opportunity to qualify for the national meet your performance gets put to put on that descending national listed at the end of the season.

They're going to take a right around 20 athletes in each event.

So we've got one week here to still trying to improve upon our mark.

So, you know, handful of our athletes are ranked in the top 10 12, and that should be in a safe spot to heading into this last weekend.

Some of those athletes, so just to compete to fine tune, keep the rhythm going into the NCAA championships and some of our athletes and that those positions will not compete this weekend and just focus on training and being in the best spot over the next 2, 3, weeks to go into the NCAA championships in a great spot physically and mentally.

>> Out in Colorado with Jerry Boy, congratulations again.

I know.

Never gets old for you, your staff and your athletes.

It's a big deal as the Lakers take care of business, winning the outdoor track and field championships in both the men's and the women's side.

Thank you, Gerri.

Appreciate state.

We'll be right back.

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

Illinois was the site of the gliac tournament for the GB issue.

Softball team.

The Lakers fought through a bracket and a game.

One loss and fell just short of coming all the way back to win a title.

Let's hear more now from head coach David Callahan, who is at the TV issue for a softball field coach, welcome congratulations of the regional berth.

We'll get to that a little bit later here.

But the yeah.

Big day for you, guys.

>> Yes, thank you.

>> So let's begin here.

Ugly act play a tough way to get started.

The gliac tournament last 2 to one the parkside on Thursday.

So take us back there that just the mindset coming in and you've got to deal with a first team locks and how you guys respond.

>> Yeah, you know, I mean, our conference is pretty tough.

You know, anybody can beat anybody any given day.

And, you know, we came out a little bit flat with the bats.

We just think it's some key situations get some runs in when we needed to it.

And I'll be honest parkside kudos to them.

I mean, they made a great run in the tournament.

They came out loose, ready to play.

And they had a very, very good tournament.

And, you know, and again, it just goes to show our conference can be top.

And when you play the team that many times, anything can happen, you know, so we've been calling it may Madison.

It definitely reared its head and and hopefully will will get it turned around.

>> Yeah, he just played that recently.

So that was the loss on Thursday.

So that on Friday you've got to take on the Davenport and you're able to down them.

73 the final score here to eliminate them and a great pitching.

He's always had to be out.

So 7 innings thrown a scattering 8 hits, struck out 8, 3, earned runs but you get by Davenport and eliminate them from the gliac tournament.

>> Correct.

You know, again, playing the same teams over and over again.

They got an a little bit, but our bats did show up that day.

So we were able to get some runs on the board, some key situations.

And and that's what we needed.

So that just didn't happen on Thursday.

>> You get 3 runs in the 6th kind of the key ending there to propel you to the wind.

So that report was out of the tournament at that point, 7, 3, the Lakers would be victorious there.

So that on to to Saturday and a game one here you get a 9, nothing win.

It will be out of a no-hitter in this one over a Purdue northwest with a big moment.

>> Yeah, hand through very well that day.

And, you know, we held Purdue down.

They had beaten us earlier, you know, couple weeks ago.

And so we had a little bit of a Jason, our malls on that.

And we we came out fire and got the bats going and Hannah through very well.

Defense is good and we wanted to date with Parkside again.

So it's we we came out firing in game one.

>> Sure did.

Again.

You want to 9 to nothing but 4 runs in the first 3 in the second and 2 in the 3rd.

You've got to go in early.

No question about it.

So you got that revenge opportunity game to Parkside.

Get you again.

7 to 3, again, not the ending you want, but you fought your way all the way back and nearly did it.

>> Yeah, you know, we had Hannah go game one.

And we knew pretty was going to be a tough offensive team.

We when we didn't want to throw are both games, you know, and we just didn't get the bats going early enough.

We got some things going in.

The 7th inning just wasn't enough to overcome some deficit that we had.

But again, Parkside played well, you know, they they were getting everything that they needed defensively.

They made some absolute gems.

So they came out ready for us and we just didn't get it done.

So hopefully we're learn from that will move on to this week.

We've got to, you know, some different teams that we haven't faced off for a while.

So hopefully we cannot make some adjustments to the way we played the last couple of games and not be ready to go for this weekend in regionals.

>> That's right.

46 Grand Valley overall.

Now as they do turn our attention.

The selection show this morning, Midwest regional, your number 2 seed here day and I don't know.

It's a big surprise.

You you guys know that coming in.

But it's big because you get that opportunity to host the region before the Super region and the 4 teams in here with you, you'll be hosting Saginaw Valley State, Ohio, Dominican and the University of Missouri St. Louis.

So big challenge ahead.

But boy, what a great season that you have that had so far and we certainly hope it continues.

Best of luck there.

Then again, congratulations on hosting that.

The regional.

>> We're not done yet.

Thank you.

That's right.

All right.

>> We'll be right back.

As the Grand Valley State Sports report continues.

IWGP last week of the regular season saw GVSU Baseball host Davenport and Saginaw Valley State in the four-game series in Allendale.

Lakers fought hard.

We're very competitive and head coach.

Jamie, to tell you, he's here to tell us more about the week that was Jamie Welcome.

Thanks for having me.

So again, these were given to some some tough losses here, but she does man battling battling battling and, you know, no moral victories.

But you are right there.

Some of them went your way.

Some didn't for your overall thoughts on the last week of the regular season.

>> Well, definitely disappointed with the outcome.

I'm you know, I'm proud of our guys and a lot of ways, you know, they they really fought hard.

You know, the one thing that we had not talked about all year long with Tom is, you know, any time anybody goes down, it's just kind of a next man up mentality.

And and they they embrace that.

They knew that word on if you guys but nobody, you know, I certainly wasn't going to let it affect anything with how we go about our business is still, you know, fight hard and Claude scrap and grind and then see weekend to hopefully come out on top at the end of the day.

>> Yeah.

Well, as you start the week, he was Davenport, one game scenario because you're finishing up basically the series with them.

So that was on Wednesday.

A you're at home.

They get you to one in this.

>> Yeah.

So it's a close game.

I mean, that was at our place on on Tuesday.

The wind was blowing in our infield was really slowing the ball down.

So it's really tough day to head.

We did get a good pitching performance from Al Thornton them.

He really did a great job of pounding the strike zone.

And, you know, to one game, anything can happen is just we had as this kind of like the same scenario, some of the other games.

We have a Davenport.

It's, you know, it's you got runners in scoring position, whether it's the first second inning or whether say tonight I'm just in capitalizing, get it done.

>> Yeah.

They get both of their run.

Single runs in the first and the second able to hold on as they get you there.

Shuman.

Who is that ISIS stretch here hitting?

He leaves it with a couple of hits.

But the Lakers fall to the one in that one that would finish up the regular season series with Davenport.

And then you'd welcome in the Cardinals of second about the state for a four-game set starting on Friday and they would get you in the opener about 20 to 3.

>> Yeah.

And they've actually been playing pretty well.

They've they've had some, especially when their top 2 guys are gone.

They have a chance to win some games and and their top guy through pretty well against us on Friday.

>> Yeah, but clearing the 8 innings.

That was his 8th win of the season there 80's.

So they get up to 3, 5, hits in this one, Anderson, with a home run.

So you had some guys and some bright spots there, but just too much offense from them.

And and as a pitcher, he's a crafty want is any not necessarily overpower you?

But he's very effective.

>> Yeah, you through a lot of sliders again.

Kept us off-balance.

The nice thing is, I think in the tournament on Thursday, I'm guessing that will see him.

I'm not sure yet, but I'm guessing that will see him on Thursday.

And, you know, it's sometimes around 2 dozen go have round one went.

So we're hopeful that we're we're prepared for, you know, we're working on a lot of different things with our offense throughout the year and and facing a guy like this is one of them.

So I'm hoping that this comes to freshen on on a Thursday here.

>> Yeah, that's right.

So that is the notable thing on the back in the Lakers may see him again.

So on to Saturday, which would be a double header with Saginaw Valley.

They would take game 1, 5, to one in that.

But the finale was a it was a fun one for you guys.

12 to 11.

You're able to get another walk-off win.

This one coming as the in the 9th inning.

Kyle not would get a leadoff double are actually a 2 out double.

Right.

And then let's go over some.

Would that hit the single to right to score?

Not because we want it.

>> Yeah, so a lot of are a lot of our rallies have started with 2 outs, which is it's tough to get a whole lot of, you know, game playing there for moving runners and trying to do some things to advance runners other than just get on with 2 outs and hit him and how it was a fun way to do it, of course.

But you know, that's the situation.

We need more guys.

That's right.

And we needed the last, you know, 7 to 10 games or so.

That's the one that is good to see Jonah, step up and get a hit there.

It's just that's the situation right there that we kind of live for that we work for and just the guys to get it done because that that opportunities always there.

I'm not sure we've had many games in the last.

25 that we just haven't had that opportunity in 8th and 9th inning to score runs.

It's more about, you know, stepped in the batter's box with some confidence, go do it and get it done.

But right now the expectation of what you can do.

>> Lakers win that 12 11 and that really encouraging sign to out of this game, especially when you look ahead to a tournament setting.

You've got some nice bullpen work in that game pocket.

All the lack they kind of came in to help stabilize things, keep you in touch so you could win.

>> And I feel like our team is semi built for a tournament.

You know, there's a lot of different things that happen throughout the year.

There's no the 5th in 6 games sometimes with midweek, stay kind, you know, affects how you you work your pitching a little bit considering the arms that we've lost.

We've had to be a little more strategic in how we've done some things.

But I think all things considered, assuming that we can stay healthy through this week.

I think, you know, we could given around, you know, how we structure things with our pitching, especially I think we've got a chance to get through this tournament well.

>> Well, the finale of the series in the regular season, they're at home.

This was the the final game Sunday, 8 to 5, a would get you.

But again, is some some hitting coming through in this game.

McCormick with a home run Goldman, some had to couple of hits.

I'm insecure.

Also had a couple of hits.

So you had guys who were contributing into this, what obviously the end of the regular season and the end of a series like that.

It's our you don't like that.

But what's the message you can take forward into this week out of it?

>> Sure.

Well, right now, everybody's know.

So that's that's the biggest one is we're on the same playing field as all of them.

It's just let's take care of our business and go do our job.

And it's it's more of that simple mindset of if I get an opportunity, you know, execute executed by get a runner on second or 3rd with with one out.

I got executed swarm around or it's, you know, little things like that are going make a difference.

So right now everybody is on.

So why can't the U.S. at the end of the week?

>> Yeah, no.

Exactly right.

You saw in the softball side of things in the gliac tournament, there can be some chaos for sure.

So now you go into the gliac tournament here.

It's going to start up on Thursday in Lansing.

You're going to play Saginaw Valley State, maybe a positive to.

You've just seen the guy here a few days ago, McLaren that we're expecting.

You're going to see again.

So you've got that.

What else is besides that execution of little stuff?

What else is really important in the in the tournament setting like that?

>> Well, grind.

I mean, it's it's all or nothing right now.

I mean, there is, you know, in a sense there is no tomorrow if you get be done.

So this is something that we just got to continue to fight and grinding kind.

We did all season ends in a lot of regards.

There's been so many games where we've been either down or or had a late comeback win.

You know, some with a lot of fireworks, you know, the 7th 8007th inning versus just the 9th.

I think it's just making sure that we grind entire game and not just kind of rely on that that, you know, the fireworks in the 9th inning, another nice.

And it's nice when you come out on top when it happens.

But you know, that innings to through when the game is kind of boring, so to speak.

That's when we really want to thrive and make sure that we're adding on runs in given our picture some run support.

So, yeah, so anything can happen.

Everybody's know.

So.

>> Start off.

Want to know and then go from there.

Absolutely.

Can break it down on your game by game inning by inning.

Maybe even been out by out as you go through it.

Well, best of luck, Jamie, as you get into that their Thursday in Lansing.

Thanks.

Thanks for having me.

We'll be right back.

As the Grand Valley State Sports report continues here in Wg.

>> And that's all the time that we have this week here in the Grand Valley State Sports report TV issue, women's lacrosse will compete in the first round of the NCAA Tournament this Friday.

May 12 is a take on number one.

Seed Regis, Colorado, for information such as the Game Start Times will be announced throughout the week as well.

A judicial Lakers dot com TV issue softball is heading to the NCAA Tournament as well as they will compete in the Midwest Regional this week.

The issue baseball will compete in the Glee actor much this week as well.

Battle Saginaw Valley, State of 07:00PM on Thursday.

May 11th in the first round of the tournament held in Lansing will run Thursday to Sunday.

He beat you track and field will host the last chance meet tomorrow in Allendale as they look to continue to qualify athletes.

The NCAA championships at the end of May for upcoming games as well as live broadcast of every Laker athletic program.

He's a TV issue.

Lakers dot com for more of the show head over to our YouTube channel.

>> YouTube dot com Slash Wg View.

35 make sure you hit the subscribe button to get updated videos and highlights all year long.

The entire crew here Wgu I'm Steve Lloyd-Jones have a great week Laker Nation and that's always a corrupt