April 29, 2012

Game One Box Score (4-2 W)

Game Two Box Score (11-8 L)

Allendale, Mich. - The eighth-ranked Grand Valley State baseball team split a doubleheader with Wayne State for the second straight day, winning the first game 4-2 before dropping the nightcap 11-8 in the final home games of the season for the Lakers.

In the first game, GVSU scored in each of the first three innings to take an early 4-0 lead. In the first, an RBI single by senior Steve Anderson (Northville, Mich.) scored freshman Mike Nadratowski (Canton, Mich./Plymouth), while an RBI single from freshman Mitchell Kozlowski (Madison Heights, Mich./Lamphere) in the bottom of the second scored junior Chris Rudenga (South Holland, Ill./Illiana Christian) to make it 2-0.

In the bottom of the third, senior Brian Robinson (Troy, Mich.) doubled over the center fielder's head to lead off the inning and came in to score on an RBI single back up the middle from redshirt freshman Kevin Zak (Novi, Mich.). With Zak at second, senior Derrik Strzalkowski (London, Ont./Kellogg C.C.) singled in to right field to score him and push the lead to four.

Senior Cory Baker (Byron Center, Mich./North Dakota) had shut down Wayne State for five innings before surrendering two runs in the top of the sixth to have the Laker lead cut in half, 4-2.

Junior Brad Zambron (Waterford, Mich./Brother Rice) got the last four outs with two strikeouts to earn his 13th save of the season.

Baker (7-1) got the victory, working 5.2 innings and allowing two runs on four hits with six strikeouts.

GVSU had seven hits in the game, all by different players. Anderson and Kozlowski each went 1-for-2 with an RBI, while Robinson and Nadratowski went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. Zak finished 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Nadratowski also stole two bases, giving him 16 on the season.

In the nightcap, the Warriors jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first but GVSU was able to answer back. The first two batters for the Lakers singled and moved over with a sacrifice bunt. After a walk loaded the bases with one out, sophomore Giancarlo Brugnoni (Grosse Pointe, Mich./De La Salle) got hit by a pitch to bring in a run, cutting the lead to 2-1. Senior Jared Cowan (Davison, Mich.) then hit a ground ball to short, but the ball was booted away, yielding everyoen safe and bringing in the tying run.

Wayne State took the lead back with a single run in the top of the second, but again the Lakers responded. After two quick outs, Robinson drew an eight-pitch walk and Zak took advantage by hitting a 2-0 pitch over the fence in left-center, giving GVSU a 4-3 lead.

Things fell apart for the Lakers in the middle innings, however, as Wayne State scored three runs each in both the third and fourth innings to take a 9-4 lead, highlighted by a two-run homer in the fourth.

The Lakers began their comeback in the bottom of the fifth. Robinson reached on a fielding error and then scored on a Zak double to the wall in the left field gap, then ended up on third as the throw in from the outfield missed the cut-off. A groundout scored Zak, making it a 9-6 game.

Despite GVSU drawing closer, the Lakers weren't able to keep Wayne State at bay as the Warriors pushed one run across in each of the sixth and seventh innings to go ahead 11-6.

In the bottom of the seventh with the top of the order coming to the plate, the first three batters all singled to load the bases with nobody out. Anderson then hit a ground ball to short, but another error allowed everyone to reach safely, making it an 11-7 game with nobody out, bringing the tying run to the plate. However, a high chopper to third base allowed the fielder to step on the bag and throw across to first for a double play. With the score 11-8 and a man on second, an infield pop-up ended the threat.

GVSU had seven hits in the second game, as well, but in a stark contrast from game one, all seven hits came from the top three in the order. Nadratowski went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Robinson finished 2-for-3 with a walk and a career-high four runs scored. Zak went 3-for-3 with two runs, three RBI and his third homer of the season. For the four game series against Wayne State, Zak went 10-for-14 with six runs scored and seven RBI.

The split leaves Grand Valley State at 32-12 on the year with a 22-8 record in the GLIAC, holding a two-game lead in the conference with six games to play. Wayne State is now 26-15 with a 17-11 mark in the conference.

The Lakers will finish out their season with a six-game roadtrip beginning on Wednesday (May 2) with a doubleheader at Northwood.