May 4, 2003

Box Score

Allendale, Mich. - Grand Valley State won the 2003 GLIAC regular season title and earned the right to host the GLIAC Baseball Tournament as the number one seed sunday with a doubleheader sweep (8-6, 12-4) over Wayne State. The Lakers (34-11-1; 20-6-1) concluded the regular season by winning five straight GLIAC games. #1 Grand Valley State will play #4 Hillsdale College at a time to be determined, while #2 Ashland with play #3 Saginaw Valley State at a time to be determined.

In game one Sunday, GVSU broke open a scoreless contest with four runs in the bottom of the third. GVSU battled to load the bases with two outs when 1B Joe Brunink tripled to leftcenter scoring three. LF Kevin Boyd then singled in Brunink to give the Lakers a 4-0 lead. Wayne State scored two in the top of the fourth on a Tim Baywal two-run HR, but the Lakers came back and scored four in the bottom of the fifth. SS Tony Pfennig singled and Joe Brunink walked. Pfennig and Brunink pulled off a double steal and then Kevin Boyd was intentionally walked. C Elijah Beckwith reached on a fielders choice before 3B Scott Allen drew a bases loaded walk. DH Matt Wright hit a bases loaded double to leftcenter to clear the bases and give GVSU an 8-2 lead. Wayne State concluded the scoring with Baywal's second two-run HR of the game and a Ron Kochan two-run HR in the top of the seventh. Phil Mixter picked up his team-best ninth with of the year, going six and two-thirds innings with five strikeouts and two walks. Joe Finnerty picked up the save. Brunink was 2-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Tony Pfennig collected two hits and Matt Wright drove in three runs.

In game two, Wayne State opened the game with a triple and a single to take a 1-0 lead, but Kevin Boyd doubled in Joe Brunink who walked with two outs to tie the score at 1-1 after one. The Lakers added another run in the second when Matt Wright doubled and scored on a single by RF Joe Mertes. GVSU broke the game open with four in the bottom of the third to take a 6-1 lead. Pfennig singled and scored on a double by Brunink. Brunink advanced to third on a a Boyd ground out and scored on a flyout by Beckwith. 3B Scott Allen walked and went to second on a wild pitch. Matt Wright walked before a single by Mertes scored Allen and then Wright on an error by the second baseman. Wayne State pulled to within three (6-3), but the Lakers erupted for six runs in the bottom of the fifth to seal the win. Elijah Beckwith opened the inning with a solo shot to left, then Joe Mertes singled in Scott Allen who singled, advanced on a wild pitch and took third on an error by the pitcher. Brunink provided the final margin with a three-run HR to give the Lakers a 12-3 lead. WSU added a run in the top of the sixth. David Olson picked up the win in relief, pitching 2 and two-thirds of no-hit ball. Jason LaBaumbard started the game and went four and a third innings. LoBaumbard yielded three runs on five hits. Brunink was 3-3 with four RBI and three runs scored. Joe Mertes was 3-3 with three RBI and Beckwith was 1-2 with two RBI.

Grand Valley State concluded the regular season with a 15-1-1 record at home and won eight of its last nine league games. The GLIAC baseball tournament will run Thursday (May 8) through Saturday (May 10).