April 14, 2004

Box Score

Allendale, Mich. - Grand Valley State continued its winning ways with a GLIAC doubleheader sweep over Northwood Wednesday at the GVSU Baseball Field. The Lakers won game one, 11-1, followed by a 3-2 win in the nightcap. GVSU improves to 27-12 overall and 17-5 in GLIAC action.

GVSU got on the board early in game one with five runs on four hits in the first. 1B Tim Hudnall drove in one run with a sac fly with the bases loaded. C Elijah Beckwith singled in another run, while DH Matt Wright walked with the bases loaded. 3B Jeremy Lundberg drove in another runs on a fly out, while SS Ryan Lyster reached on an error to plate the fifth run of the innning. 2B Scott Smith singled to open the second and LF Scott Allen doubled to score Smith. Hudnall drove in his second run of the game with a single to left. Northwood scored its lone run of the game in the fifth on three hits. GVSU scored in the fifth and added the finishing touches with three in the bottom of the sixth. Hudnall drove in his third run of the game on a fielder's choice, while CF Brandon McFarland doubled in Allend and Hudnall later scored on a sac fly by Beckwith. Matt Rafeld picked up the win (6-2) with a complete game. Rafeld struck out seven and walked just one. Hudnall led the offensive attack with three RBI, while McFarland, Beckwith and Smith each collected a pair of hits.

Both teams failed to score with runners on base in game two. Northwood scored a single run in the top of the first, but GVSU came back and scored one run on four hits in the bottom of the third. Lundberg, Lyster and Smith eached singled to load the bases. Scott Allen drove in Lundberg with a single to deep short, but the Lakers unable to plate anyone else as Northwood tallied one of two double plays in the game, followed by a fly out. Northwood catcher Justin Davis homered to open the sixth, but the Lakers scored in the bottom of the sixth when Hudnall and McFarland singled to open the inning. Matt Wright drove in one run to tied the game at 2-2. Northwood stranded a runner at third in the top of the seventh when Joe Finnerty entered the game with a runner on second and one out. Finnerty forced a pair of groundouts to get out the inning. Lyster opened the bottom of the seventh with a single. Smith sacraficed Lyster to second and Allen moved Lyster to third with a single down the right field line. RF Joe Mertes was intentionally walked before Hudnall drilled a single to left that scored Lyster. Finnerty picked up the win (2-0), getting the final two outs in the top of the seventh. Mixter started the game and went six innnings with nine strikeouts and two walks. Hudnall was 3-4 with one RBI and one run scored, while Lyster, Smith and Allen each tallied a pair of hits.

Grand Valley State will take the weekend off from GLIAC action and venture into MAC territory with a three-game set at Toledo. GVSU will play a single 9-inning game on Saturday, before playing a doubleheader on Sunday.