May 24, 2004

Box Score

Montgomery, Alabama - Grand Valley State used timely hitting and outstanding pitching en route to a 5-2 victory over Bryant College Monday (May 24) night in Montgomery, Alabama at the NCAA DII World Series. GVSU, now 2-0 in the eight-team tournament, advances to a 7:30 p.m. contest Thursday (May 27) versus a team to be determined. The Lakers improve to 45-15 on the year.

GVSU opened the scoring in the top of the fourth when CF Brandon McFarland doubled to right center with two outs. C Elijah Beckwith then singled to left to plate McFarland and give GVSU a 1-0 lead. GVSU then began a hit parade in the top of the fifth with five straight singles. LF Nick Sandy, SS Ryan Lyster and 2B Scott Smith each singled to load the bases. 3B Scott Allen drove in Sandy with a single to right and Joe Mertes singled sharply to center to score Lyster and Smith and give GVSU a 4-0 lead. Senior hurler Phil Mixter kept the Bulldogs in check, yielding just two hits through the first six innings. Bryant then put together three hits in the sixth to score two runs and chase Mixter from the hill. Relief pitcher Sean McLeod walked the first batter he faced with the bases loaded, but then 1B Mike Rocco to hit a grounder to Lyster at short who flipped the ball to Smith for the third out of the inning a preserve a 4-2 advantage. The Laker upped the lead to 5-2 in the top of the eighth when C Elijah Beckwith opened the inning with a single to left. DH Matt Wright advanced Beckwith to second on a sac bunt before Sandy doubled to left to score Beckwith. McLeod pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth for his first save of the year.

GVSU pounded out 14 hits off three Bryant pitchers. Sandy was 3-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Nick is now 5-8 in World Series action. Scott Smith, Brandon McFarland, Elijah Beckwith and Ryan Lyster each collected two hits for the Lakers. Allen, Mertes, and Beckwith also drove in a run. Mixter improved to 8-2 on the year and 18-6 in his career for the Lakers. Mixter yielded two runs while scattering five hits in 6.2 innings. Bryan collected seven hits and just two runs off Laker pitching.

"I thought we played well in all facets of the game tonight," said sixth-year head coach Steve Lyon. "We came up with some timely hits, made plays in the field and worked effectively on the mound," he added.

Grand Valley State has now won 32-of-its-last-36 games overall and improved to 10-3 in its last 13 NCAA Tournament games. GVSU's 45 wins is the most in school history.