May 22, 2004

Box Score

Montgomery, Alabama - LF Nick Sandy drove in CF Brandon McFarland with a single to left field with one out in the bottom of the 12th inning to lift #6 Grand Valley State to a 2-1 victory over #4 Chico State Saturday night (May 22) at Patterson Field in Mongomery, Ala. GVSU (44-15) advances to second round action versus Bryant College Monday (May 24) at 7:30 p.m. Bryant claimed an 11-3 win over Rollins College in the opening game Saturday afternoon.

Grand Valley State's senior LHP Matt Rafeld battled Chico State starter Brian Kroll for nearly nine innings. Rafeld tossed 8.1 innings, yielding eight his and one run with six strikeouts. Kroll yielded five hits and one run in nine innings of work.

GVSU broke through in the bottom of the third with one run. DH Matt Wright singled and was advanced to second on sac bunt by Nick Sandy. SS Ryan Lyster walked before 2B Scott Smith singled to right field scoring Wright. The Laker defense turned in some outstanding plays GVSU tallied three putouts of Chico baserunners at home plate. RF Joe Mertes tossed out Chico DH Ryan Wulfert at home plate with perfect throw after a single by PH Josh Levin. The Wildcats were held scoreless until the top of the ninth when a walk and back-to-back singles scored PH Colby Smith. Joe Finnerty relieved Rafeld and dealt a double play ball to get the Lakers out of the inning. Neither team did much until the top of the 12th when Chico State tried to score a runner from second on an infield single. Ryan Lyster made a diving stop of a shot up the middle and threw out Jon Shepard at home when he tried to score from second.

McFarland opened the bottom of the 12th with and infield single and was advanced to second on a sac bunt by Joe Mertes. Chico State intentionally walked DH Matt Wright to set up a double play opportunity with one out. Sandy then singled past third base and McFarland slid on the inside portion of home plate to score the winning run.

Chico State scored one run on 11 hits while committing two errors. The Wildcats left 12 runners on base and were thrown out at home plate four times. The top for batters for Chico State collected eight of the 11 hits. GVSU scored two runs on seven hits. 2B Scott Smith and CF Brandon McFarland each collected two hits. Smith drove in one run, while LF Nick Sandy drove in the game-winner with a one-out single in the 12th. Scott Allen and Matt Wright also singled for GVSU. Finnerty upped his record to 4-0 with 3.2 innings of three-hit baseball.

GVSU is 31-4 in its last 35 games and improved to 11-2 in neutral site games.