May 24, 2003

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Montgomery, Ala. - #13 Grand Valley State battled with #1 Central Missouri State in the first round of the NCAA DII National Championships, but CMSU pulled out a 3-2 win to send the Lakers to the elimination bracket. Both teams scored two runs in the fourth inning, but only the Mules were able to generate any more offense as the pushed across the game winner on a sacrifice fly in the seventh. Phil Mixter (10-4) started for the Lakers and threw seven innings allowing five hits and only one earned run. Grand Valley, making their first World Series appearance, falls to 40-13, while CMSU improves to 48-7. The Lakers will play their next game on Monday at 3:30 pm EST against Slippery Rock.

The scoring was started by Central Missouri in the fourth when the leadoff man doubled, and Mixter followed with a walk. A throwing error scored the first run of the game and gave CMSU runners on second and third. After a strikeout, the Mules generated their second run with a sacrifice fly to center field.

Grand Valley answered right back in the bottom of the inning as Matt Wright began with a double down the right field line and was driven in by a Joe Mertes double down the right field line. Mertes moved to third on a sacrfice bunt by Jeremy Lundberg and scored on a bounce out by Mike McCallister.

Central Missouri State scored the winning run in the seventh as Stephen Downey led off with a single. Downey then stole second and third to get into scoring position with one out and then scores on another sacrifice fly.

The Lakers could only muster three base runners after the fourth inning, with the the best scoring opportunity a runner on second in the sixth. GVSU finished with five hits but also hit into two double plays.

Mixter finished with eight strikeouts, to push his single-season K record to 105, and gave up only three walks. David Olson threw the last two innings and did not allow a baserunner, while striking out four.

Quotes:
Head Coach Steve Lyon -
"It was our first time here and I think we showed that we can compete with anyone. We were right in this game and it could have gone either way."

"I told our team not to hang their heads because we can play with everyone here and I expect to be here a while."

For updated results, news, live game updates and complete coverage of the 2003 NCAA DII Baseball Championships visit the World Series home page.