April 14, 2007

Box Score
Game Two Recap |  Photo Gallery 

Allendale, Mich. - #5 Grand Valley State improved to 24-2 on the year with a 3-1 win over Wayne State in the first game of a GLIAC doubleheader Saturday afternoon in Allendale, Mich. Senior Vince Rizzi improved to 6-0 on the year with the win and lowered his ERA to an impressive 1.59 on the year. The Lakers and Warriors will face off again tomorrow (Sunday) at 1 pm at the Laker Baseball Field.

The Lakers fell behind early in game one as Wayne State plated one run in the top of the first for the early advantage. The Laker bats would not be silenced in their opening frame as SS Dan Skirka took the first pitch he saw and singled down the left field line. Back-to-back groundouts moved Skirka to third before RF Derek Hinke hit a slow grounder through the left side to tie the game at one. Rizzi found himself in trouble in the second as runners advanced to second and third on sacrifice bunts before Rizzi set the 2B Brett Witzack down on strikes to end the threat.

The Lakers would not advance a runner past second from the second through fourth innings but came up with some timely hitting in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead for the first time on the day. Skirka and 3B Lee VanStreain got things going with back-to-back singles their third time through the lineup. 2B Spud McKenzie would give the Lakers a 2-1 lead in the inning as he drove a pitch to right field that scored Skirka who tagged up from third and beat the high throw in from the right fielder. Two batters later C Nick Smith added an RBI single to give GVSU a two run margin (3-1).

The Warriors moved a runner to third in the top of the sixth with two down but Rizzi forced an inning ending fly out to get out of the jam. The senior righthander and reigning GLIAC Pitcher of the Week returned for the top of the seventh and set the Warriors down in order for his sixth win of the season. Skirka was 2-3 in the game with two runs scored for the Lakers.