May 8, 2005

Box Score

Erie, Pa. - Grand Valley State picked up a key doubleheader sweep over Mercyhurst College Saturday in Erie, Pa. and clinched a berth in the GLIAC postseason tournament for the third straight year. GVSU, which has now won six straight games, won game one 1-0 and then claimed the nightcap 4-1. The Lakers improve to 28-12 overall and remain in first place in GLIAC action with a 19-7 record. GVSU and Mercyhurst will conclude regular season action Sunday with a double dip beginning at 12 noon.

Grand Valley junior Jeremy Dow (Sunfield, Mich.) and Mercyhurst senior JD Roewer (Manlius, NY) matched goose eggs through six innings in the first game before GVSU broke through in the seventh. After an outfield fly, Roewer (3-5) walked four batters in succession Both teams had plenty of chances to do some damage in the opener, but neither could get a key hit. GVSU left two on in the third, three on in the fourth, and two in the seventh. Mercyhurst left two in the third, three in the fourth, and had two aboard with one out in the seventh. It was then that Dow departed in favor of senior Joe Finnerty (Saline, Mich.). Finnerty threw one pitch and induced a 6-4-3 game-ending double play. Roewer allowed only three hits in going the distance, but walked an uncharacteristic nine batters, including four in the fateful seventh. Dow (6-1) held the Lakers to only four hits while Finnerty picked up his fifth save. Scott Smith collected a pair of hits while Nick Smith added one hit and an RBI.

Senior Scott Allen's (Lansing, Mich.) RBI double in the third gave GVSU the early lead in game two, but junior Matt Echan's (Solon, Ohio) sacrifice fly to right squared things in the fourth. Grand Valley then scored a pair of unearned runs in the fourth after freshman Eric Drobotij (Pittsburgh, Pa.) retired the first two batters. GVSU added an insurance tally in the sixth on junior Chad Rohacs' (Dowagiac, Mich.) fifth homerun of the season. Allen was 3-4 with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI. Nick Smith, Nick Sandy, Chad Rohacs and Ryan Lyster each contributed a hit. Senior Marty Jackimowicz (Petoskey, Mich.) threw a complete game three-hitter for his third win of the season in as many decisions. Jackimowicz struck out four.

Special from Mercyhurst.