March 4, 2003

Box Score

Joplin, Mo. - Grand Valley State won their first game of the day 8-7 over South Dakota State in Joplin, Mo. The Lakers dug themselves a hole going down 4-0 in the first but scored eight straight and held on for the win. Seven starters accounted for 11 hits, including home runs by Scott Allen, Kevin Boyd, and Joe Mertes. Jason LaBaumbard (1-0) earned the win in his first start as a Laker. GVSU improves to 4-1 on the season, while SDSU falls to 0-3.

LaBaumbard struggled early allowing the first four runners to reach base and eventually score, but settled down to retire 12 of the next 14 Gorilla hitters. GVSU pushed one across in the first on a walk to McCallister and back-to-back singles by Tony Pfennig and Joe Brunink. The two ended up on second and third with nobody out, as they looked to regain the lead. However, the Lions pulled a triple play on Elijah Beckwith's bounce back to the pitcher to get out of the inning.

GVSU added a second run in the third, as Mike Maher led off the inning with a walk and moved around to score on a bounce out by Pfennig. The Lakers exploded for five runs in the fourth. Boyd started the scoring with a solo home run, and Joe Mertes added to the cause with a three-run shot later in the inning. Maher scored the last run of the inning on a single by Brunink.

SDSU cut into the lead with two solo home runs in the top of the fifth, but Allen answered back for the Lakers with his second home run of the season. His run proved to be the game winner as the Gorillas added a run in the sixth, and had runners on second and third before David Olson got the final out of the inning. Olson also pitched the seventh to earn the save.

McCallister, Brunink, Allen, and Mertes all went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the offense.