April 10, 2010
Box Score
Midland, Mich. - #10 Grand Valley State split a GLIAC doubleheader today at Northwood in their first games in a week due to recent inclement weather. The Laker offense broke out for 14 runs in game one with a 14-6 victory, but the team lost the second game 7-6 via a walkoff single by the Timberwolves.
In game one, Northwood went up early with a four run bottom of the second due to three doubles and one triple that each scored one run, but the Lakers responded in the top of the third with five straight singles to begin the frame, as Chris Rudenga and Cody Grice's hits each scored one and Brian Robinson's single drove in two, to tie the game at four. Grand Valley State would go ahead with their fifth run on a Cory Maguire groundout that scored Robinson, giving the Lakers a 5-4 lead.
Northwood took the lead back in the bottom of the third when Ryan Palmer hit his second homerun of the year to tie the game at five, and then a Michael Goodwin triple led to an RBI for Casey Ingle on the next batter, giving the Timberwolves a 6-5 lead.
In the top of the fourth, the Lakers put up their second straight five-run inning, as four singles each scored a run, and Maguire sacrifice fly scored a fifth run in the inning, giving the Lakers a 10-6 lead.
The Lakers kept the pressure on in the top of the sixth, adding four more to their lead to make it a 14-6 game. Northwood pushed two more runs across in the bottom of the sixth, but it wouldn't be enough, as the Lakers took game one 14-8.
Matt Cade (4-0) got the win for the Lakers, pitching 2.1 innings in relief, allowing one hit, two earned runs, four walks, and striking out three. Grice was 3-for-5 with three runs and three RBI in the game, while Robinson and Maguire both had three RBI as well. Andrew Trepel and Rudenga each went 3-for-4 in the game.
In game two, Northwood again got off to an early start, with Brett Lechner hitting his first homerun of the season in the bottom of the first to give the Timberwolves a 1-0 lead.
Grand Valley State took the lead in the top of the second, as Steve Anderson scored on a throwing error by the catcher while stealing third base, and then Cory Phillips singled through the left side to score Rudenga on the next at-bat, giving the Lakers a 2-1 lead.
The game then began going back and forth, as Northwood tied it in the bottom of the third inning with an Adam Rider sacrifice fly, making it a 2-2 game, and Grand Valley State added one of their own in the top of the fourth on a Rudenga single that scored Maguire to make it 3-2. D.J. Hicks tied it at three in the bottom of the fourth with a single that scored Derek Fritz, who had doubled just before, and the Lakers again responded with another run in the top of the fifth with a Maguire single that scored Robinson to make it 4-3.
In the bottom of the fifth, Northwood tied it at four with a Lechner single that scored Matt Czajkowski, and the Timberwolves added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 6-4 lead.
The Lakers came up clutch in the top of the seventh, as Robinson walked and then advanced on a wild pitch and Kyle Gendron single to put runners at first and third with one out. Maguire then drove in Robinson with a groundout to the first baseman, making it a 6-5 game with two outs. Anderson then tied the game for the Lakers with a single down the left field line that scored Gendron. They wouldn't be able to push across another, however, as the Timberwolves got out of the inning in a tie at six.
In the bottom of the seventh, Rider singled and then advanced to second on an error while Lechner was batting, putting runners at first and second with nobody out. Pinch-hitter Jake Oard became the hero for Northwood, hitting a single to right field to score Rider, the game-winning run.
Brad Zambron (4-1) took the loss for the Lakers, pitching 0.2 innings in relief, allowing four hits and two earned runs. Starter Jared Knuth went 5.1 innings, allowing eight hits, five runs (three earned), and one walk. On offense, Grand Valley State was led by Robinson, going 3-for-3 with two runs, as well as Maguire's two RBI. Anderson, Rudenga, and Phillips each contributed an RBI as well.
The split moves the Lakers to 23-6 on the season (15-3 GLIAC) while Northwood is now 13-16 overall (6-11 GLIAC). Grand Valley State continues play tomorrow with another doubleheader at Northwood, slated to begin at noon.
