May 6, 2007
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score |
Photo Gallery 
Allendale, Mich. -
#7 Grand Valley State (39-7, 26-6 GLIAC) bounced back from a doubleheader sweep on Saturday with a sweep of its own on Sunday as the Lakers took game one 8-2 and game two 10-7 to earn the weekend split over #17 Ashland (36-15, 22-5 GLIAC). Senior Vince Rizzi picked up the win in game one going seven strong innings allowing two unearned runs. GVSU pounded out 18 runs on 28 hits in the two games while allowing nine runs on 14 hits. The Lakers will take on Saginaw Valley State in the first round of the GLIAC Tournament on Thursday at 12 pm in Midland, Mich.
GVSU allowed a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first inning in game two for the second consecutive day as the Lakers fell behind 2-0. Both teams were held scoreless in the second inning before the Lakers tied the game at two in the bottom of the third. After a Dan Skirka fly out, C Nick Smith connected on what appeared to be a fly ball to left that carried in the strong wind and drifted out of the ball park for a solo home run, his fifth of the year. Pat Radde doubled later in the inning and scored on the next play when Ashland's 2B Justin Randall misplayed a ball hit by Lee VanStreain.
Vince Rizzi shut down the high powered Eagle lineup after the shaky first inning not allowing a runner past second while facing no more than four batters in an inning. GVSU provided the go ahead runs in the fifth as Lee VanStreain picked up a sacrifice fly to drive in a run and DH Casey Robrahn added an RBI single to give Grand Valley a 4-2 lead after the fifth. The Lakers nearly batted around in the sixth as Cory Maguire led things off with his first career home run, a solo shot that cleared the left center field wall. LF Matt Nickels reached on a bunt single to second base before SS Dan Skirka tallied his seventh home run of the year on a shot to deep left center. The ball appeared to clear the fence and then ricochet off a tree beyond the field of play and bounce back onto the field as the umpire correctly signaled a home run. Spud McKenzie made it an 8-2 contest just two batters later when he deposited a ball over the scoreboard in left field for his team-leading ninth home run of the year.
The Laker bats continued to stroke the ball in game two as they sent all nine batters to the plate in the bottom half of the first after Ashland had taken an early 2-0 lead. Nick Smith got things going with a two out double to the left center gap and then scored as McKenzie singled back up the middle. A single by Pat Radde and a walk by Lee VanStreain loaded the bases for DH Casey Robrahn who delivered with a bases clearing triple to center. Robrahn hit a line shot to center field that the Ashland centerfielder attempted to make a diving play on. The ball bounced past the diving Tyson Rowland allowing Robrahn to race around the bases for the first triple of his career. RF Derek Hinke followed with an RBI groundout as the Lakers took the early 5-2 lead.
Nick Smith picked up his second home run in as many games in the second inning with a solo blast that bounced off the scoreboard in left to give Grand Valley a 6-4 advantage after the Eagles picked up a pair of unearned runs in the top half of the inning. Starter Brennen Glass worked a scoreless third inning before finding himself in trouble in the fourth. Glass misplayed a bunt to lead off the inning putting a runner at second before an RBI double was delivered by SS Chris Haycox. Glass would be pulled from the game after walking a man to put men at first and second and sophomore Eric Snyder would enter the game allowing a pair of RBI singles as Ashland regained the lead at 7-6.
GVSU answered in the bottom half of the fourth with four runs of its own as they sent nine batters to the plate for the second time in the game. Nickels led things off with a single to left field and then proceeded to steal second base. Nick Smith would single in Nickels and tie the game at 7-7. Another single by McKenzie put runners at the corners with one down in the inning and would signal the end of the day for Ashland starter Matt Schultz. Pat Radde gave the Lakers the lead for good when he singled back up the middle as the Eagle shortstop made a nice diving stop but was unable to get McKenzie on a close play at second as Smith scored from third. A single to left by Lee VanStreain loaded the bases for Robrahn who once again delivered, this time with a two run single to left field as the Lakers went up 10-7.
Snyder would return for the fifth and sixth innings as he did not allow a hit en route to his second win of the week and third of the year. Fellow sophomore David Bowman came on in the seventh and threw a scoreless frame for his fifth save of the season. Bowman is now tied with Tom Beard (1991-92) for third on the Laker all-time saves list with 12. VanStreain was 4-5 on the day with a run scored as the four senior Laker position players (C Nick Smith, 3B Lee VanStreain, SS Dan Skirka, and 2B Spud McKenzie) combined for 14 hits, 10 runs and eight RBIs in the doubleheader sweep. The GVSU seniors were honored before the game as they played their final regular season doubleheader at the Laker Baseball Field.
Grand Valley will now take on Saginaw Valley State in the first round of the GLIAC Tournament on Thursday, May 10 at 12 pm at Gerace Stadium on the campus of Northwood University in Midland, Mich. The winner will take on the winner of the Ashland vs. Mercyhurst (3 pm) contest on Friday, May 11 at 10 am while the losing teams will play at 1 pm. The championship game(s) will take place on Saturday, May 12 and be held at Midland's Dow Diamond, home of the Great Lakes Loons the single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fans can follow all of the tournament action on the Grand Valley Sports Network with the call by play-by-play man Steve Lloyd-Jones and the color commentary of former Laker great Doug Lipinski.
