April 19, 2006

Box Score

Hillsdale, Mich. - #12 Grand Valley State (31-8, 15-3 GLIAC) claimed a pair of tough GLIAC road games against Hillsdale Wednesday afternoon winning game one 4-0 and taking game two by a 6-4 margin. Jeremy Dow picked up the win in game one throwing his team-leading fifth complete game allowing just three hits and striking out six. 3B Lee VanStreain continued his hot hitting in league play going 5-7 (.714) with four runs scored and a RBI. Grand Valley will now travel to Wayne State for a pair of weekend doubleheaders against the Warriors beginning at 1 pm (Apr. 22) and 12 pm (Apr. 23).

The Lakers opened up game one putting an early two spot on the board with a two run single from 2B Spud McKenzie. CF Jeff Carrero led off the game drawing a walk and was followed by VanStreain who was hit by a pitch to put a pair of runners on for McKenzie. After a wild pitch moved Carrero and VanStreain into scoring position, McKenzie ripped a single to right center to give Grand Valley a 2-0 lead. The runs would be all starter Jeremy Dow would need as he scattered just three hits over seven innings while striking out six. Dow faced 24 batters in the game, only three over the minimum, as the Chargers never sent more than four batters to the plate in an inning and were set down in order in the first, thrird, fourth, and sixth innings.

GVSU had trouble getting things going in the second and third but started a two out rally in the fourth as 1B Casey Robrahn singled and was followed by DH Brandon Bard tallying a single of his own. Robrahn advanced to third on the play but was cut down by the centerfielder. The Lakers had another two out rally in the fifth, but this time were able to push two runs across. Carrero got things going with a single up the middle, moved to third on a single by VanStreain and the duo were once again driven in by McKenzie. The junior second baseman ripped a two run double as he drove in all four of the Lakers' runs in the 4-0 victory.

The offense continued to shine in game two jumping out to a 4-0 lead after two and a half innings. VanStreain upped his GLIAC hit total to 20 with a single in the first and was driven in by McKenzie once again as he tallied a RBI double. A pair of Charger miscues in the second allowed the Lakers to add another run, despite not recording a hit in the frame. Robrahn and Bard reached base on back-to-back errors by the shortstop and rightfielder putting runners on the corners for SS Dan Skirka who drew a walk to load the bases for LF Nate Secor. A RBI groundout by Secor upped the Laker lead to 2-0. VanStreain led off the third with a double to left field and advanced to third as McKenzie dropped down a bunt single. McKenzie then stole his team-high 13th base of the season to put runners in scoring position with nobody out. Hillsdale starter, Corey Krug, looked like he was on his way to get out of the jam striking out RF Nick Sandy and C Nick Smith but was unable to contain the hot hitting Robrahn who came up with a RBI single to extend his team-best hit streak to 19 games. A passed ball then allowed McKenzie to score from third and give Grand Valley a 4-0 advantage.

The Chargers seemed to figure out starter Grant Payton in the third using a double, a sacrifice bunt, and a RBI ground out to scrape across a run. Payton had set the Chargers down in order in both the first and second innings and allowed just two hits through the opening five innings. GVSU tacked on a run in both the fifth and sixth innings as the Lakers took advantage of another Charger error in the fifth as McKenzie reached base and moved to third on a wild pitch. McKenzie was driven in on a RBI double from Smith to give Grand Valley a 5-1 lead. In the sixth VanStreain tallied his fifth hit of the day to drive in Carrero who reached base with his second walk of the game and stole second.

Payton found himself in a bit of trouble in the sixth despite the Lakers appearing to coast to the win. Hillsdale used back-to-back doubles and a Laker error to score two runs in the sixth off Payton. A single put runners on the corners for the Chargers and would signal the end of the day for Payton who was relieved by Dave Bowman. A 6-4-3 double play for the first two outs helped Bowman empty the bases despite allowing the runner from third to score. Another ground out ended the threat in the sixth and Bowman returned for the seventh allowing just one hit while earning his fifth save of the season. Bowman has posted three saves in four appearances in GLIAC play allowing just five hits and owns a 0.00 ERA.

VanStreain and McKenzie each tallied five hits on the day with four runs scored for VanStreain and five RBI for McKenzie. VanStreain is hitting .489 in GLIAC play. Dow and Payton picked up the two wins and improved the Laker record to 20-1 when either start a contest.

The Lakers improve to 31-8 on the season and sit atop the GLIAC standings with a 15-3 record. Grand Valley will be on the road once again this weekend as they face off against Wayne State in a pair of doubleheaders on Saturday (Apr. 22) at 1 pm and Sunday (Apr. 23) at 12 pm.