May 7, 2004

Box Score

Ashland, Ohio - #18 Grand Valley State left little doubt of the outcome of the winners bracket game Friday afternoon at the GLIAC Tournament versus #7 Ashland with nine runs in the top of the first inning off a pair of AU pitchers. GVSU advances to the title game Saturday at 2 p.m. and will face the winner of the Ashland-Saginaw Valley State game. The if necessary game will be Sunday.

The Lakers shocked the Eagles with nine runs, eight earned, on eight hits in the opening stanza. AU starter Cody Castle yielded nine runs and seven hits in one-third of an inning. GVSU tallied seven singles and a double in the inning. 1B Scott Allen drove in three runs with a single and double, while five other Lakers drove in a run. GVSU kept the motor running with three more in the third when CF Brandon McFarland doubled in a pair of runs and C Elijah Beckwith drove in a run with a single. The Lakers scored another single run in the fourth to take a 13-0 lead into a five hour rain delay. GVSU didn't allow the rain delay to slow down their bats with three more runs in the sixth on a single by RF Joe Mertes and a two-RBI double by McFarland. Ashland trailed 16-0 before scoring a pair of runs in the eighth.

Beckwith and 3B Jeremy Lundberg each collected three hits for the Lakers, with Beckwith driving in two and Lundberg scoring three. McFarland was 2-6 with five RBIs and two runs scored, while Allend was 2-5 with three RBI. Every Laker starter notched a hit and eight drove in at lead one run. Senior pitcher Matt Rafeld, an Ashland, Ohio native, picked up his ninth win of the year with nine strikeouts and no walks. AU managed eigth hits and two runs, one earned, in eight innings of work. Sean McLeod worked a hitless ninth with two strikeouts.

Grand Valley State, ranked third in the North Central Regional rankings this week behind Ashland and Wisconsin-Parkside, improves to 38-14 overall.