May 8, 2010
Grand Valley State-Saginaw Valley State Box Score
Grand Valley State-Ashland Box Score
Chillicothe, Ohio - #12 Grand Valley State had to win two games on Friday to advance to the GLIAC Tournament championship, and 21 innings later, they fell just one run short. The Lakers defeated Saginaw Valley State in their first game of the day, 10-9 in 11 innings, and mounted a valiant comeback against Ashland in the last game of the day, but fell short by an 11-10 score in 10 innings.
Against Saginaw Valley State, the Lakers came out swinging in full force, as walks to Kyle Gendron and Cory Maguire in the bottom of the first inning set the table for a three-run Andrew Trepel homer to left-center, the start of a magnificent day for Trepel. That was followed with a solo homerun off the manual scoreboard in left field by Steve Anderson as the Lakers went back-to-back and took a quick 4-0 lead over the Cardinals.
History was made in the bottom of the fourth inning, as with Jared Cowan on second and Zach Laupp on third, sophomore outfielder Cody Grice took a two-out 0-1 pitch to the opposite field on a line drive to right, scoring Laupp to make it a 5-0 game. Cowan was thrown out at the plate, but Grice set the Grand Valley State University single-season hits record with that hit, his 91st of the season.
Saginaw Valley State was not ready to go easily, as they responded in the top of the fifth with a two-RBI double down the left field line to make it a 5-2 game. The Lakers answered with another run in the bottom of the fifth on a Trepel single up the middle that scored Chris Rudenga to give Grand Valley State a 6-2 lead.
The Cardinals used a huge top of the sixth inning to mount their comeback, as a bases-clearing double accounted for the final three runs of their six-run inning that saw them take the lead, 8-6.
After an Anderson RBI single in the bottom of the seventh to cut the lead to 8-7, the Lakers were down to their last three outs in the bottom of the ninth. Gendron came up clutch with a double to right-center to lead off the frame, and advanced to third on a wild pitch with nobody out. After Maguire walked, Trepel again drove in a run, as he singled to center field to tie the game, bringing Gendron in from third. Grand Valley State threatened to end it in the ninth as Laupp singled to right field, but pinch-runner Cory Phillips was cut down at the plate, and the Cardinals got out of the inning.
In the top of the 11th, the Cardinals had a one-man show bring in the go-ahead run. Eric Burt, who had pinch-ran a couple innings prior, laced a single to right field, and then stole second base and had the catcher's throw hit him in his slide, sending the ball into left field as Burt advanced to third. Burt then scored on a wild pitch to put Saginaw Valley State up 9-8.
The bottom of the 11th began with Gendron at the plate again, as he singled up the middle and was followed by a Torre Aguirre single that put runners at first and second. With nobody out, the Cardinal pitcher attempted a pick-off at first, but nobody was covering, as the ball careened into foul territory and down the fence, allowing Gendron to score from second and putting Aguirre at third. Trepel then came to the plate and took a 1-2 pitch up the middle to drive in Aguirre for the walk-off victory to keep the Lakers alive.
Kyle Schepel (5-2) got the win in relief, pitching two innings and allowing one hit, one run (zero earned), and one walk. The Laker offense was led by Trepel's 5-for-6 performance with one run and a career-high six RBI, including his fourth homerun of the year. Anderson was 3-for-5 with one run, two RBI, and his eighth homerun of the year, while Grice was 2-for-6 with an RBI and Gendron was 2-for-3 with four runs scored and two walks.
The Lakers took a quick break and were back to work against Ashland for the second time in the tournament, as they lost the day's first game to Wayne State, 12-6, setting up an elimination game with Grand Valley State.
What looked like a pitcher's duel after the first three innings turned into anything but, as Ashland scored on a balk in the top of the fourth inning to mark the first of three consecutive innings the Eagles would score in. Grand Valley State briefly took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, as a Grice two-RBI single to center field scored Aguirre and Anderson to give the Lakers a 2-1 lead.
Ashland responded with two in the top of the fifth to take back the lead, 3-2, and then for the second straight game, the opponent got a huge sixth inning off the Laker pitching staff, as Ashland poured five runs across the plate in the top of the sixth, and again it was a bases-clearing double that capped off the scoring as Ryan Avery drove three in with a shot to right-center field to give Ashland an 8-2 lead.
The Lakers answered in a big way in the bottom of the sixth, as Aguirre doubled and Cowan singled to lead off the frame, putting runners at first and third with nobody out. After a Rudenga sacrifice fly scored one run and Grice was hit by a pitch, pinch-hitter Phillips drove a double into the left field gap to score both Cowan and Grice, making it an 8-5 game after six innings.
Ashland again stepped up in the top of the eighth, as Jason Cress hit a two-run homer to push the lead back out to 10-5. Again, though, the Lakers responded, as Maguire matched that feat with a two-run shot of his own, his eighth of the year, to make it a 10-7 game.
With Grand Valley State down to their final three outs of the season yet again, it was Aguirre for the second straight inning beginning the rally, as he singled up the middle to begin the bottom of the ninth. Rudenga then appeared to ground into a double play, but the second baseman dropped the ball, allowing all runners to be called safe, loading the bases for Grice with nobody out. After a Grice sacrifice fly made it a 10-8 ballgame, Phillips appeared as if he was going to ground into a double play as well, but Ben Minard's throw from first base bounced into left field, allowing Cowan to score and Rudenga, the tying run, to go to third with one out. After Gendron was hit by a pitch, Maguire fouled off four pitches before lifting a ball into left field for another sacrifice fly, scoring Rudenga to tie the game at 10.
In the top of the 10th, it was Avery again stealing the show for Ashland, as he drove a one-out triple into the right field gap to set up the go-ahead run, and he scored on a wild pitch with two outs to give the Eagles an 11-10 lead. The Lakers' luck ran out in the bottom of the 10th, however, as two strikeouts locked down the win for Ashland, ending Grand Valley State's tournament run.
Dan Holcomb (1-2) took the loss in relief, pitching two innings and allowing two hits, one run, and striking out two. The offense was led by Grice, who was 2-for-3 with one run and three RBI, leaving him with 94 hits on the season, only three hits short of tying the GLIAC single-season record for hits. Maguire was 1-for-5 with a run and three RBI, including his eighth homer of the year, and Phillips was 2-for-3 with one run and two RBI. Trepel and Cowan each had three hits in the game, while Gendron and Aguirre each had two hits.
The Lakers will now await word on their seeding in the NCAA Midwest Regional Tournament. The Lakers were the second seed in the region heading into the GLIAC Tournament.
Ashland advances to face Wayne State at 12 P.M. on Saturday (May 8) in the first game of the championship series. Ashland must win that game to force an elimination game at 3 P.M. If Wayne State wins the first game of Saturday, they will be crowned the tournament champions, with no second game being necessary.
