Feb. 22, 2014
Box Score
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - The fourth-ranked Grand Valley State baseball team used yet another strong pitching performance and another huge game from senior Taylor Banks to pick up the first Laker victory of the 2014 season on Saturday (Feb. 22) afternoon, a 2-1 win over Southern Indiana.
The victory evens up the season record for GVSU at 1-1, while Southern Indiana is now 2-3 on the year. The same two teams will play the rubber game of the three-game series on Sunday (Feb. 23) at 1 p.m.
For the second straight game, junior Mike Nadratowski led off the game with a single, and it was followed by a single from junior Jesse Abel. The Lakers threatened, but a strikeout, fly-out and ground-out ended the top of the first.
In the top of the third, senior Ariel Aracena-Sanchez led off with a single and moved to third after a sacrifice bunt and a ground-out, but he was left there as the game remained scoreless.
GVSU picked up two more hits in the top of the fourth, putting two runners on with one out, but a strikeout and pick-off again ended the threat.
Southern Indiana put the first run on the board in the bottom of the fifth, getting a lead-off double and sacrifice bunt to put a man on third with one out. After a groundball back to the pitcher for out number two, a balk brought him in to score and give the Screaming Eagles a 1-0 lead.
The Lakers finally broke through in the top of the seventh, again beginning with a lead-off hit, as senior Taylor Banks singled to third base and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, junior Aaron Overbeck, making his Laker debut, laced an RBI single in to left field to tie the game at one.
In the top of the eighth, the Lakers staged a two-out rally, beginning with junior Kevin Zak getting hit by a pitch. After senior Giancarlo Brugnoni coaxed a walk to put two on, Banks stayed hot and collected his second straight three-hit game, this one to put the Lakers ahead as he drove an RBI single in to left field that brought Zak in to score and give GVSU a 2-1 lead.
GVSU loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the ninth, but Southern Indiana got out of the jam and used that momentum to get two singles in the bottom of the ninth. With two on and two out, senior Chris Ripple was able to pick up his first career save and nail down the first victory of the season for the Lakers. The final out came on a chopper back up the middle of the infield that Stuart Eisler was able to make a great play on, stepping on second for the final out.
Sophomore Russell Griffin picked up his first career victory on the mound, throwing 2.1 innings of one-hit relief with one strikeout. Sophomore Patrick Kelly started the game and went six strong innings, allowing only four hits with five strikeouts.
Banks finished 3-for-4 for the second straight game, scoring once and driving in one. Overbeck went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
GVSU and Southern Indiana will play the final game of the three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern. Live stats will be available by clicking here and live audio will be available by clicking here.
