March 27, 2010
Box Score
Allendale, Mich. - #12 Grand Valley State University dropped a doubleheader in GLIAC action today to Tiffin University, as the Dragons used strong pitching and solid defense to take two from the Lakers, game one by a score of 7-2, and game two 1-0. The losses were the first GLIAC losses on the season for the Lakers.
In game one, Tiffin got on the board early with three runs in the top of the first, as the first five Tiffin batters to walk to the plate all got on base, with a Devin Rudolph single bringing one run in, and a Jason Kulp single brought in two more before the Lakers could record an out. Pitcher Brad Raj settled down after the rough first inning, not allowing another runner past second base until the fourth inning when a Pat Curtin single to left field put a man on base, and he advanced to second on a wild pitch. Val Helldobler would move Curtin over to third on a groundout to second base, and a Tom Touris ground out to the shortstop in the next at-bat would score Curtin to make it a 4-0 lead for Tiffin.
Grand Valley State finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Kyle Gendron singled to the left side of the infield and Cory Maguire then reached on a fielder's choice while Gendron was thrown out at second. Steve Anderson then came up and belted his fourth homerun of the year, just over the 365-foot sign in left-center field, to cut the Tiffin lead in half at 4-2.
The Lakers appeared to be mounting a comeback in the late innings, but Tiffin stepped up with three more runs in the top of the seventh inning, as a Rudolph double to left-center field scored two, and a Kulp single up the middle scored another to make it a 7-2 game. Tiffin pitcher Don Smith didn't allow the Lakers to get going in the bottom of the inning, retiring Grand Valley State in order in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the win.
Raj took the loss for the Lakers, dropping his record to 1-2 on the season, as he went 6.1 ifnnings and allowed eight hits, six runs (four earned), and struck out four. The Lakers were led on offense by Anderson's 1-for-3 performance with a run and two RBI off his homerun. Andrew Trepel and Gendron also went 1-for-3 in the game. Tiffin was led by Don Smith on the mound with the complete game victory, allowing three hits and two runs while striking out five. At the plate, the Dragons were led by Rudolph's 3-for-4 performance with one run and three RBI, as well as Kulp's 2-for-4, three RBI performance.
In game two, it was a pitcher's duel with the only run of the game being scored by Tiffin in the top of the fifth when a Jordan Chiero double to the left field gap set up a sacrifice bunt by Helldobler. After a hit by pitch on the next batter, Jason Bailey singled up the middle to bring Chiero in to score, giving Tiffin a 1-0 lead.
The Lakers were threatening in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Anderson led the inning off with a single through the left side after an eight pitch battle. Cory Phillips pinch-ran for Anderson, and was advanced to second on a Trepel sacrifice bunt, and then advanced to third on a Paul Young groundout to second base. Catcher Jared Cowan came up, working a 2-0 count before grounding out on a hard-hit ball to third base.
Jared Knuth was solid for the Lakers on the mound in game two, going the distance and allowing six hits and one run while striking out four. Gendron led the way on offense, going 2-for-3, with the only other Laker hits coming from Chris Rudenga, Anderson, and Cowan. For the Dragons, Pat Curtin had the complete game shutout, allowing five hits and one walk while striking out five. Rudolph had yet another solid game, going 2-for-3, with Bailey going 1-for-4 and getting the lone RBI in the game.
The sweep moved the Lakers to 16-5 on the season and 8-2 in the GLIAC, and they will face Tiffin for one nine inning game tomorrow afternoon (Mar. 28) at noon.
