April 16, 2011

Game One Box Score (10-0 W)

Game Two Box Score (5-1 W)

Tiffin, Ohio - The 3rd-ranked Laker baseball team took their show to Tiffin this weekend and came out with a doubleheader sweep on Saturday (Apr. 16) behind a huge day from junior outfielder Steve Anderson. Anderson was 4-for-4 with five RBI in the opener, including a three-run homer that helped GVSU to a 10-0 victory. In the nightcap, Anderson hit the team's fourth grand slam of the season, which turned out to be the game-winning runs in a 5-1 triumph.

In what has been a theme seemingly all year, the Lakers got started early in game one, putting up runs in the first inning to jump out to a lead. Junior Garrett Yatch walked to lead off the game and a one-out double from junior Cody Grice put runners at second and third. A passed ball moved both runners up, putting the Lakers up 1-0. An Anderson single to the shortstop brought in Grice to make it a 2-0 game and the Lakers were off and running.

GVSU poured it on in the second inning starting with a two straight hit batsmen to lead off the frame and a one-out walk by senior Cory Phillips to load the bases. Yatch singled to right field to bring two runs in and a sacrifice fly by senior Paul Young made it 5-0. Grice then doubled in a run and Anderson singled in another before Tiffin could get out of the inning with the Lakers up 7-0.

Anderson tacked on the three-run homer in the top of the fourth inning with a one-out shot to left field to make it 10-0.

Junior Ryan Garman had a big game on the mound, moving to 5-1 on the season with six innings of shutout baseball. He yielded only four hits and two walks while striking out five. Junior Jacob Cox pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

Anderson was 4-for-4 with one run and five RBI, including his three-run homer. Grice went 2-for-3 with three runs and one RBI including two doubles. Yatch went 1-for-4 with two runs, two RBI and one walk while Young had the only other hit for the Lakers, going 1-for-2 with one run, one RBI and one walk.

Pat Curtin took the loss for Tiffin, lasting only 1.2 innings while allowing four hits, seven runs (six earned) and two walks.

Game two was a stark contrast to the opening game of the day, with runs at a premium until the late going. The Lakers got on the board first, but it wasn't until the third inning when a throwing error allowed senior Dan Ponegalek to score to make it 1-0 GVSU.

Tiffin responded in the bottom of the fourth with a one-out single from Hornyak followed by a double from Lowe to plate him and tie the game. The run was the first earned run in the career of true freshman Bill Maple. He had begun his collegiate career with 22.1 innings of baseball without allowing an earned run.

The deciding frame in the nightcap was the top of the sixth, where one-out singles from Yatch and Young, with Young advancing to second on a throw to third trying to get Yatch allowed for GV to put runners at second and third. After an intentional walk to Grice, Anderson had the big swing of the game, making Tiffin pay with a grand slam to the opposite field to put the Lakers up 5-1.

A solid start from Maple was preserved by sophomore Brad Zambron in the seventh, who came on and struck out the side to shut down Tiffin and end the game.

Maple's win moves him to 5-0 on the year, as he went six innings, allowing only three hits and one run while striking out 10, a season-high for GVSU. His ERA is a microscopic 0.36 in 25 innings pitched. He has allowed only eight hits on the season and the three hits allowed against Tiffin were the most off of him this year in any outing.

Anderson finished 1-for-2 with one run and four RBI thanks to his grand slam, which ties him for the team lead in home runs with four. Yatch and Grice both went 1-for-3 with a run scored and a walk, with Grice hitting his seventh double of the year. Young went 1-for-4 with one run while sophomore Chris Rudenga and junior Jared Cowan were each 1-for-3.

Donnie Smith took the loss for Tiffin, pitching six innings and allowing six hits, five runs (four earned) and two walks.

The Lakers are now 29-3 on the season with an 18-1 mark in GLIAC play. They will wrap up their series with the Dragons on Sunday (Apr. 17) with a doubleheader slated to begin at noon.