March 9, 2010
Box Score
Leesburg, Fla. - #5 Grand Valley State found themselves down early against Lock Haven, surrendering four runs in the second inning, but the offense carried them back. Five runs in the top of the fourth inning for the Lakers was a springboard to a 10-5 victory at Pat Thomas Stadium, as Brad Zambron earned the victory in relief.
Lock Haven got on the board early, as they had five consecutive batters reach base at one point in the bottom of the second, leading to three runs. Starter Daniel Holcomb allowed one more run on a single to center field before getting the last out of the inning, and the Bald Eagles found themselves with a 4-0 lead.
In the top of the fourth inning, Grand Valley State responded with a big inning of their own. After a Giancarlo Brugnoni flyout to begin the inning, Chris Rudenga and Dan Pongelak both singled through the right side, leading to a Jared Cowan looped single into shallow right field bringing in Rudenga to make it a 4-1 game. After Cory Phillips got hit by a pitch, Cody Grice hit a single into left field, bringing Pongelak in to score. The next hitter, Andrew Trepel, singled into the right field gap to bring in Phillips and Cowan to tie the game at four. Steve Anderson then came up and singled through the left side of the infield, scoring Grice to give Grand Valley State a 5-4 lead.
In the top of the fifth, the Lakers added another run on a Phillips single to right field that brought Rudenga in for the score, making it a 6-4 lead.
The top of the sixth brought more runs in for Grand Valley State, as a Pongelak groundball to the shortstop forced an error that scored Anderson and Cory Maguire, giving the Lakers an 8-4 lead. Cowan then came up with two men on and hit a ball off the left field fence that scored Rudenga, but Phillips was cut down at home on the relay throw. The Lakers led 9-4 after six innings.
In the ninth, the Lakers got an insurance run from a Paul Young double to center field that the fielder dove and missed on, scoring Trepel from first base to make it a 10-4 game.
Lock Haven would threaten in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases after scoring a run off a double. Jared Knuth came in with the tying run on deck and got the last two outs, stranding all three runners for the 10-5 victory and earning the save.
The starting pitcher, Holcomb, went two innings, allowing five hits and four runs (two earned) while striking out one. Zambron pitched great in relief, going six innings and allowing only three hits and three walks while striking out three to earn the victory. Knuth got the save with two-thirds of an inning of work. Leading the way in the batter's box for Grand Valley State was Grice's 3-for-4 performance with one run, one RBI, and one walk. Sophomore catcher Cowan went 2-for-4 with one run, one RBI, and one walk. His double in the sixth was his first of the season. Anderson was 2-for-5 with a run and RBI, while Rudenga was 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Trepel finished with two RBI, while Phillips, Pongelak, and Young each had one.
Mark Strouse was the leading hitter for Lock Haven, going 3-for-3 with two RBI. Andrew Simonik took the loss with a line of five innings, 12 hits, and eight runs allowed.
Grand Valley State will have their first true away game of the year tomorrow (Mar. 9) when they head to the campus of Tampa to take on the #4 Spartans in a top five match-up at 6:00 p.m.
