ALLENDALE, Mich. - The Grand Valley State baseball team clinched its fourth straight GLIAC regular season championship on Saturday (May 3) with a victory in game one against Malone, but the Lakers weren't done there, getting a pair of walk-off victories to sweep the doubleheader.
The sweep moves GVSU to 32-11 overall with a 23-6 record in the GLIAC, while Malone falls to 18-30 overall with a 13-19 mark in the conference.
The Lakers and Pioneers will face off in a nine inning contest on Sunday (May 4) at noon in the regular season and home finale. It will also be senior day, as 10 GVSU baseball seniors will be honored prior to the game at around 11:45 a.m.
GVSU took an early lead in game one of the twinbill, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second with a two-out rally. After a single by Aaron Overbeck with one out, Stuart Eisler was hit by a pitch with two outs to put Overbeck in scoring position, who came in to score on an RBI single from Taylor Banks through the right side of the infield.
That lead lasted only until the top of the fourth, when Malone got four singles to push two runs across, taking a 2-1 lead.
Malone got an insurance run in the top of the seventh to take a 3-1 lead, but the Lakers were prepared for heroics in the bottom half of the inning. Jamie Potts led off the inning with a double just over the bag at first, then moved to third on a single by Kevin Zak to put runners on the corners. After Zak stole second to put the tying run in scoring position, Giancarlo Brugnoni was hit by a 2-2 pitch to load the bases with nobody out.
After an eight-pitch at-bat from Overbeck drew a walk to force a run in and make it 3-2, Jesse Abel came to the plate and lifted a ball over the head of the pulled-in right fielder to bring home both Zak and Brugnoni, giving the Lakers the 4-3 walk-off victory.
Abel finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Potts was 3-for-4 with a run scored and his 11th double of the year. Banks was 2-for-2 with an RBI and a walk, while Overbeck was 1-for-3 with a run, RBI and a walk.
Aaron Jensen got a no-decision on the mound, but went 6.2 strong innings, allowing seven hits with four strikeouts.Chris Ripple (1-1) earned the victory in relief, getting the final out in the top of the seventh.
In the nightcap of the doubleheader, GVSU took another early lead, getting a run in the bottom of the first with a Potts one-out triple and a ground ball by Zak that brought him in for an early 1-0 lead.
Malone was able to get on the board yet again in the fourth inning, however, getting consecutive doubles to tie the game up at one.
The score stayed knotted at one up until the bottom of the seventh, where again the Lakers came through in the clutch. Zak singled to begin the inning, but went to second on an error by the center fielder, who bobbled the ball off the bounce. After Brugnoni was intentionally walked, Abel hit a ground ball to the short stop but Brugnoni broke up the double play attempt, allowing Abel to reach first and Zak to move to third. Overbeck then came to the plate and laid a bunt down on a 1-0 pitch, as Zak came in to score standing up to give GVSU yet another walk-off victory.
Evan Nietfeldt (8-1) finished out his stellar regular season campaign with a complete game victory, going all seven innings, allowing seven hits with five strikeouts.
Potts and Overbeck each had two hits in the game, with Potts scoring once and Overbeck driving in the game-winning run. Zak was 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
