May 8, 2004

Box Score

Ashland, Ohio - #18 Grand Valley State defeated #7 Ashland, 6-0, for the second time in as many days and in the process claimed its second straight GLIAC Championship in Ashland, Ohio Saturday afternoon. GVSU improves to 39-14 and will now await a bid into the NCAA DII North Central Regional Tournament. GVSU also won the 2003 GLIAC Championship.

GVSU rode the arm of Phil Mixter to the GLIAC title. Mixter has tossed back-to-back complete game shutouts and yielded just 10 hits in two games. Phil has not allowed a base runner past second base in his last 16 innings. Versus the Eagles, Mixter notched four strikeouts and allowed Ashland just five hits, four of which were sigles. The GVSU defense also aided Mixter in turning three double plays, including a highlight film 643 double-play that was started with an incredible play by SS Ryan Lyster and ended with a stellar pick by 1B Scott Allen.

GVSU scored a single run in the bottom of the third. LF Nick Sandy singled and was advanced to second on a sac bunt by 3B Jeremy Lundberg. 2B Scott Smith singled in Sandy to put the Lakers up 1-0. The Lakers added another two in the fourth on three hits. RF Joe Mertes singled and scored on a double by CF Brandon McFarland. DH Matt Wright then singled in McFarland to put the Lakers up 3-0. GVSU iced the game in the bottom of the sixth with three runs on five hits. Mertes singled and advanced on a McFarland groundout. C Elijah Beckwith singled to advance Mertes to third and Wright then singled in Mertes. 3B Jeremy Lundberg singled to score Beckwith and then 2B Scott Smith singled to score Wright and put the game away with a 6-0 lead. The Lakers outscored Ashland in two games 22-2 and outhit the Eagles 31-13.

GVSU was well represented with six on the GLIAC All-Tournament Team (1B Scott Allen, SS Ryan Lyster, CF Brandon McFarland, DH Matt Wright and pitchers Matt Rafeld and Phil Mixter). Grand Valley State is now 26-3 in its last 29 games.