May 17, 2012

Box Score

Ypsilanti, Mich. - In their opening round game of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament, the ninth-ranked Lakers dropped a 9-4 decision to Rockhurst after an eight-run second inning pushed the Hawks to victory.

After breezing through the first inning by striking out the side, senior Kyle Schepel (Grand Rapids, Mich./Christian) ran in to trouble in the second, walking the lead-off batter and hitting the next two to load the bases with nobody out. Rockhurst capitalized by pushing eight runs across courtesy of two singles, a triple and a home run to put the Lakers in an early 8-0 hole.

The Lakers began chipping away at the lead in the middle innings, scratching a single run across in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single from senior Steve Anderson (Northville, Mich.) to make it 8-1. In the fifth, two more came across for GVSU with an RBI single from junior Stephen Claypool (Carleton, Mich./Ball State) and a bases loaded hit by pitch with senior Brian Robinson (Troy, Mich.) at the plate to make it 8-3.

Rockhurst picked up a single tally in the top of the seventh to extend the lead to 9-3.

GVSU put the first three runners on in the bottom of the ninth as sophomore Giancarlo Brugnoni (Grosse Pointe, Mich./De La Salle) walked and senior Jared Cowan (Davison, Mich.) singled. Freshman Jamie Potts (Ravenna, Mich./Muskegon Oakridge) then singled in to the left field gap to bring home Brugnoni, cutting the lead to 9-4. The Lakers were unable to draw any closer, however, as Rockhurst closed the game out with two runners on base.

Schepel (9-4) took the loss in two innings of work with five strikeouts. Sophomore Cody Westerhuis (Allendale, Mich.) and junior Kyle Zegarac (Lansing, Ill./Parkland College) each threw two shutout innings of relief in the effort.

Offensively, Potts led the way for the Lakers, finishing 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Cowan went 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Robinson, Anderson and Claypool each had a hit and an RBI.

The Lakers, now 41-15 on the season, will play Lewis University at 11 a.m. on Friday (May 18) in the first elmination game of the tournament. Lewis (33-21) dropped a 2-1 decision to Indianapolis in the opening game of the regional.