May 6, 2010
Box Score
Chillicothe, Ohio - #12 Grand Valley State had their 17-game GLIAC Tournament winning streak snapped in a 7-3 loss to Ashland today in the first round of the tournament. Ashland put up runs in each of the final three innings to take the victory, despite being out-hit by the Lakers. Sophomore outfielder Cody Grice, who was named to the All-GLIAC First Team earlier in the day, had two hits in the loss to tie the single-season GVSU hits record.
Ashland jumped out to an early lead with two runs in the top of the first on a two-RBI Jacob Petkac single. The Lakers kept it a 2-0 game through the fifth inning when Grand Valley State got on the board. Steve Anderson led the bottom half of the inning off with a double down the left field line, and then the bases were loaded following a Zach Laupp single and a Dan Ponegalek hit by pitch. A Grice RBI single up the middle scored Anderson, and a Chris Rudenga walk tied the game at two, as Laupp crossed the plate. A double play ended the Laker threat in the next at-bat, however.
Ashland took the lead back with one run in the top of the seventh to make it 3-2, and then added two runs each in the eighth and ninth innings to push the lead out to 7-2.
The Lakers made a run for it in the bottom half of the ninth, as Laupp doubled down the right field line with one out, and Ponegalek singled through the left side to put runners at first and third. A Grice walk loaded the bases, and Rudenga drove a ball to the warning track in right field that scored Laupp from third on the sacrifice fly to make it 7-3. A swinging strikeout on the next batter ended the game and gave the victory to the Eagles to stop the Grand Valley State push.
Joe Jablonski (7-2) took only his second loss of the season in the game, going 7.2 innings and allowing seven hits, five runs, and three walks while striking out four. Grice was 2-for-4 with one RBI, while Laupp was 2-for-4 with two runs, including his fifth double of the season. Cory Maguire was 2-for-4 and hit his ninth double of the year. Rudenga had two RBI in the game.
Grand Valley State (33-13) will now face the four-seed, Saginaw Valley State, in the loser's bracket game at 3 p.m. on Friday (May 7). SVSU was a 9-8 loser to Wayne State in the first game of the tournament on Thursday.
