May 2, 2007

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

Midland, Mich. - Grand Valley State travelled to Midland, Mich. for a GLIAC doubleheader against the Timberwolves of Northwood (14-30, 4-22 GLIAC) on Wednesday and earned a sweep taking game one 8-5 and game two 9-0. Brad Raj along with relievers Matt Middleton and David Bowman held Northwood to just two hits in the second contest as the Lakers improve to 37-5 overall and 24-4 in GLIAC play. The Lakers will now host Ashland in a pair of GLIAC doubleheaders this weekend to determine the GLIAC regular season champion.

The Lakers pushed three runs across early in game one as Nick Smith singled in Dan Skirka and DH Casey Robrahn tallied a two run single to put the Lakers up 3-0 after a half an inning. GVSU made it a 7-0 contest in the third inning as Derek Hinke picked up a sacrifice fly, Robrahn doubled in another pair of runs and Cory Maguire added an RBI single.

Freshman Brennen Glass was able to squeeze out of trouble in the first two innings as he stranded a pair of runners in each inning. Glass was not so lucky in the third as Northwood cut the Laker lead to five (7-2). Northwood took advantage of a a Laker error to score two more runs in the fourth before Glass settled down and picked up a one-two-three inning in the fifth with three consecutive groundouts.

GVSU added an insurance run in the fifth for an 8-4 lead. The Timberwolves made it interesting in the sixth as they picked up another run before closer David Bowman came in to shut the door and pick up his fourth save of the year by getting the final four outs of the game.

The Lakers jumped all over Northwood in the top of the first inning in game two taking advantage of three Timberwolve errors to plate four runs. Smith, Hinke, Robrahn, and Maguire all picked up RBI base hits in the inning. The four runs would be all starter Brad Raj would need as he let only one runner reach second base all game. Raj faced just two batters over the minimum in his five innings of action.

GVSU tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning as Skirka singled in Maguire who doubled. Skirka made it a 6-0 lead as he scored on a throwing error by the Northwood centerfielder one of the five errors in the game. Pat Radde drove in a run in the fifth with a single to center field before the Lakers put the game out of reach in the sixth when Derek Hinke singled in a pair and gave Grand Valley a 9-0 lead.

Relievers Matt Middleton and David Bowman entered the contest in the sixth as Middleton threw a perfect sixth inning, while striking out two. Bowman copied Middleton's work by setting down the first two batters he faced on strikes before forcing a pop out to end the game and wrap up the sweep for the Lakers.

Casey Robrahn was 5-8 on the afternoon with three runs scored and five RBIs, not far behind him was Derek Hinke who was 3-6 with four RBIs. The Lakers picked up 24 hits in the doubleheader while giving up just nine.

Grand Valley will close out the regular season this weekend (May 5 & 6) when it hosts Ashland in a pair of crucial doubleheaders. Saturday's doubleheader will begin at 1 pm and can be heard on the Grand Valley Sports Network. Sunday's twinbill will begin at 12 pm and also can be heard on GVSN. Ashland enters with a 20-3 (.870) league mark while the Lakers own a 24-4 (.857) mark.