Kelly’s scoreless innings streak reaches 24

In his last three starts, Grand Valley State redshirt-junior pitcher Pat Kelly hasn’t surrendered a single run. And for the third straight week, the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tipped its proverbial cap.

Kelly was tabbed as the GLIAC North Division Pitcher of the Week on Monday after an impressive start at Wayne State in Detroit on Friday. The Brookfield, Ill. native went the distance in seven innings, giving up just three hits — and no walks — as the Lakers cruised to a 5-0 victory.

It took him 65 pitches to do so.

The performance puts the right-hander in elite company: Since 2000, only two other GVSU pitchers have posted three shutouts in as many starts (Kyle Schepel and Jeremy Dow). Additionally, Kelly becomes the second Laker in 2015 to earn three straight GLIAC North POW awards. Kevin Zak, who was picked as the GLIAC North Division Player of the Week in each of the first three weeks this year, was the other.

GVSU’s Lenza smacks first career grand slam

Opposing pitchers have no answer for Grand Valley State’s Jenna Lenza at this point in the season.

Lenza, a sophomore, was money at the plate during GVSU’s 5-1 homestand last week — and the GLIAC took note, honoring Lenza with the GLIAC Player of the Week award on Monday. The Orchard Hills, Ill. native went 10-for-18 in those six games with a .556 batting average.

She also recorded a .944 slugging percentage, a .652 on-base percentage, nine RBIs, seven runs scored and two home runs — including the first grand slam of her career — in that span.

In the GLIAC landscape, Lenza is among the league’s five best in five different categories through 27 games: RBIs with 25, total bases with 56, assists with 60, home runs with five and runs with 22.