May 21, 2005

Box Score

Rensselaer, Ind. - Grand Valley State needed a second game, but the Lakers still came away with the end result they wanted in the form of a 10-3 victory over Wisconsin-Parkside in the NCAA DII North Central Regional Championship game. The Lakers have now won three straight North Central Regional titles and will now participate in their third straight NCAA DII World Series. GVSU (34-15) will play the winner of the North Atlantic Regional on Sunday, May 29 at Riverwalk Park in Montgomery, Alabama.

Grand Valley was forced into a second championship game when UW-Parkside claimed a 6-3 win in game one Saturday. However, junior pitcher Jeff Sinicki took the ball in game two and closed the deal with a complete game three-hitter with six strikeouts. Sinicki, who improved to 7-1 on the year, allowed the Rangers single runs in fourth, sixth and the seventh innings and walked just one batter. Sophomore catcher and the North Central Regional MVP, Nick Smith, got the Lakers on the board first when he drilled a 2-1 pitch over the 360 sign in right center in the bottom of the first to get the Lakers on the board early 3-0. GVSU increased its lead to 6-0 with three more runs in the third on two hits and two UW-Parkside errors. CF Brandon McFarland reached on an error and N. Smith moved McFarland to second with a sac bunt. RF Nick Sandy scored McFarland with a single to center. Sandy moved to second on a passed ball and third when DH Drew Wippich reached on an error. Sandy scored on a balk and LF Pat Radde scored Wippich with a double to right. The Lakers sealed the game in the sixth when Wippich opened the inning with a triple. Radde walked and SS Ryan Lyster singled in Wippich. 2B Scott Smith advanced Radde and Lyster with a sac bunt and McFarland came through with a two-run double. GVSU scored another run in the eighth when Lyster opened with a double and later scored on a McFarland single to center. GVSU scored 10 runs on 12 hits.

In game one, the Rangers scored all six runs in the first three innings and held on for the win. UW-Parkside was aided by four Lakers miscues in the field and four walks.

McFarland was 2-5 with three RBIs, while N. Smith drove in three with his homer in the first. Sandy, Radde and Lyster each drove in a run. In addition to Nick Smith, 2B Scott Smith, SS Ryan Lyster, 1B Chad Rohacs, pichers Grant Payton and Jeff Sinicki were also named to the NCAA DII North Central All-Tournament team.