March 25, 2007

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

University Center, Mich. - #9 GVSU (13-2, 3-1 GLIAC) fell one bad inning short of a weekend sweep of SVSU (11-6, 1-3 GLIAC) Sunday, March 25 in University Center, Mich. as the Lakers claimed a 5-0 game one win before falling 9-5 in game two. The loss snapped GVSU's 27 game GLIAC winning streak dating back to an 8-5 loss to SVSU on April 2, 2006. Junior Nick Beach picked up the win in game one throwing seven shutout innings while striking out eight. GVSU will return to action on Wednesday, March 28 when it travels to Hillsdale, Mich. to take on Hillsdale College in a GLIAC doubleheader beginning at 3 pm.

The Lakers opened game one with a two out rally in the top of the first after a double play eliminated SS Dan Skirka's lead off single. 2B Spud McKenzie got the rally going with a single up the middle and moved to second when C Nick Smith was struck by a pitch. RF Derek Hinke followed with an RBI single back up the middle that plated McKenzie for the first run of the game.

The single run would be all Beach would need to claim his second win of the year and second consecutive start with eight strikeouts. The Lakers added a single run in the fifth with another two out rally when CF Pat Radde started things with an infield single and moved to second when Skirka drew a base on balls. 3B Lee VanStreain delivered an RBI single through the left side to make it a 2-0 contest. GVSU tacked on three insurance runs in the top half of the seventh as McKenzie ripped a two run single up the middle before Hinke drew an RBI walk for the fifth run of the game. Beach forced a pair of flyouts before allowing the first runner to reach second base since the third inning on a double to left field. Beach returned to form by setting the next batter down on strikes for his second win of the season.

Shortstop Dan Skirka opened game two with his second home run of the season to give GVSU a very quick 1-0 lead. VanStreain followed with a double then moved to third when McKenzie tallied an infield single. Nick Smith made it a 2-0 contest with a sacrifice fly to centerfield. The Lakers added another run in the third as VanStreain and McKenzie tallied back-to-back singles before Smith drove in his second run of the game with a groundout to second base.

Starting pitcher Aaron Melucci cruised through the first two innings before finding himself in trouble in the third. Melucci loaded the bases with a pair of walks and a single before getting out of the jam allowing just one run on an RBI groundout. The Cardinals used a two out rally of its own in the bottom of the fourth to claim the lead. Melucci sat down the first two batters of the inning before giving up three consecutive singles, the last one cutting the lead to one (3-2). The RBI single would signal the end of the day for the sophomore right-hander as Casey Robrahn would replace him on the mound. Robrahn appeared to end the inning with a fly ball to right field but the ball was dropped allowing the inning to continue and the score to be tied at three. Back-to-back walks, the second driving in a run, gave SVSU a 4-3 lead. Another GVSU error drove in two more runs for the Cardinals before Robrahn walked the next batter to reload the bases. Brad Raj replaced Robrahn and walked in SVSU's sixth run of the inning before striking out Reed Welker to end the inning.

GVSU had a chance to have a big inning of its own in the top of the fifth as Skirka led things off with a walk and moved to third on another VanStreain single, his third of the game. Spud McKenzie drove a ball to right field that was misplayed to cut the lead to three (7-4) and putting runners on second and third with nobody out. Smith would be set down on strikes before Derek Hinke would be hit by a pitch loading the bases. A strike out and a groundout ended the inning and the scoring threat for the Lakers. GVSU added another single run in the top of the sixth to slim the lead down to two (7-5). SVSU tacked on two more runs in the bottom half of the inning to eliminate any chance for a comeback and secure the 9-5 victory.

Lee VanStreain was 4-5 on the day with three runs scored and a run driven in, while McKenzie drove in a team-high three runs on the day. Nick Smith and Derek Hinke chipped in two RBIs apiece in the doubleheader. GVSU has posted the best 15 game start in school history with its 13-2 mark and will look to add to that mark on Wednesday, March 28 in a GLIAC road doubleheader at Hillsdale with the first pitch set for 3 pm.