May 14, 2004

Box Score

Ashland, Ohio - Grand Valley State claimed a 7-4 victory over Northern Kentucky in NCAA DII North Central Regional baseball action Friday (May 14) morning. GVSU advances to play the loser of the winners bracket game between Ashland and Wisconsin-Parkside Friday at 4 p.m. GVSU improves to 40-15 overall, marking the second straight year the Lakers have reached the 40-win mark.

Grand Valley State broke a 3-3 tie with two runs in the fifth to take a 5-3 lead and added two runs in the seventh to build a 7-3 lead. 3B Scott Allen singled and moved to third on a single by RF Joe Mertes. 1B Tim Hudnall singled in Allen to give the Lakers the lead. Mertes scored the game-winner when the third baseman was unable to field a hot shot from C Elijah Beckwith. GVSU added two runs in the seventh after two outs were in the book. Hudnall walked and advanced to second on a single by CF Brandon McFarland. Beckwith singled in Hudnall and Wright singled in McFarland. GVSU picked up three runs in the top of the third when 2B Scott Smith drove a two-out, inside the park HR to right center. DH Matt Wright and LF Nick Sandy singled prior to Smith's HR. NKU came back and tied the game with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning.

Matt Rafled, an Ashland, Ohio native, improved to 10-2 on the year and won his eighth straight game. Rafeld yielded four runs on 13 hits in the complete-game win. Rafeld improved his career record to 18-3, the most wins ever for a Laker hurler in a two-year periord. 2B Scott Smith drove in three runs on two hits. LF Nick Sandy was 3-4 at the plate, while Beckwith and was 2-4 with an RBI. DH Matt Wright was 2-4 with and RBI and a run scored. GVSU collected 14 hits in the game.