March 29, 2008

Box Score - Photo Gallery

Allendale, Mich. - #4 Grand Valley State swept a GLIAC doubleheader from GLIAC rival Saginaw Valley State Saturday (March 29) afternoon in Allendale, Mich. at the Laker Baseball Field. GVSU claimed game one by a 4-3 score in 11 innings, followed by a 7-6 win in game two. GVSU and SVSU will conclude the four-game series Sunday with two games beginning at 11 a.m.

Left fielder Matt Nickels singled in 3B Dan Anstedt in the bottom of the 11th inning with one out to help Grand Valley State to a 4-3 victory over Saginaw Valley State in game one Saturday. GVSU upped its record to 15-2 overall and 2-1 in GLIAC action, while SVSU dropped to 11-5 and 0-1.

SVSU opened the game with one run in the top of the first on two hits. Sophomore pitcher Danny Richard was able to get out of the jam when DH Brandon Fanion hit into a double play with the bases loaded. The Lakers struck back with one run in the bottom of the first. CF Pat Radde singled to center and was sacrificed to second by 2B Josh Hillyard. SS Justin Beal doubled to right with two outs to plate Radde. GVSU took a 3-1 lead with two runs in the bottom of the third. Nickels singled and advanced to second on a throwing error by the pitcher. Radded singled home Nickels and took second on the throw to the plate. RF Derek Hinke scored Radde with a single to center. Saginaw Valley State tied the game in the top of the fourth with two runs on two hits and a Laker error.

Neither team managed much of a threat until the top of the seventh when SVSU's SS Chase Coulter led off the inning with a double past third. Coulter was sacrificed to third. However, Coulter but was thrown out at third base when Laker pitcher Joe Jablonski pitched out and catcher Zach Laupp threw out Coulter who led off third base a little to far anticipating a squeeze bunt. C Max Bell, who was at bat when Coulter was picked off third doubled to left, but was left stranded.

1B Cory Maguire opened the 11th with a groundout, followed by a walk by issued to 3B Dan Anstedt. C Bobby Walmsley was hit by a pitch and Nickels followed with the game-winning single to right. Danny Richard lasted four innings with the start. Richard yielded three runs on five hits with five strikeouts. Joe Jablonski gave up just three hits in four innings with three strikeouts. David Bowman picked up the win in three innings of work. Bowman yielded just two hits, while striking out three. Matt Nickels was the hitting star on the day for the Lakers as he went 4-for-5 with a run scored and the game-winning RBI. CF Pat Radde scored a pair of runs and collected a pair of hits. GVSU scored four runs on eight hits with two errors, while the Cardinals managed three runs on 10 hits with four errors.

Grand Valley State 3B Dan Anstedt's two-out, 3-run HR in the bottom of the fifth proved to be the game-winner in the Lakers' 7-6 victory over Saginaw Valley State Saturday afternoon in game two. GVSU upped its record to 16-2 overall and 3-1 in GLIAC action, while Saginaw Valley State dropped to 11-6 and 0-2. Grand Valley State and Saginaw Valley State will finish its four-game series Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. at the Laker Baseball Field.

GVSU scored two runs in the bottom of the second on one hit and a Cardinal error. SS Justin Beal opened the inning with a walk and went to third on a single by 3B Dan Anstedt, however, in an attempt to get Anstedt at second the SVSU third baseman tossed the ball wide of second base allowing Beal to score. Anstedt advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sac fly by DH Brennan Glass. Saginaw Valley State tied the game in the top of the third on two hits and a Laker error. GVSU answered with two more runs in the bottom of the third on two hits. LF Matt Nickels tripled to left to open the inning and scored on Pat Radde's double to left. Radded went to third on a fielder's choice and scored on a wild pitch.

SVSU pulled to within one run in the top of the fifth on two hits before Anstedt broke the game open with his 3-run HR in the bottom of the fifth. Saginaw Valley State added a single run in the sixth and then made things interesting with two runs in the top of the seventh. Junior righthander Eric Snyder closed the door with his first save of the year.

Junior Andre Benjamin improved to 4-0 on the year, yielding five runs, three of which were earned, on eight hits in six innings. Benjamin recorded eight strikeouts. 3B Dan Anstedt was 2-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored. Pat Radde was 2-for-4, while Matt Nickels was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Nickels was 6-for-9 on the day, while Radde was 4-for-8.