ST. CHARLES, Mo.—The Grand Valley State baseball team had been on a tear through it's first three games of the Maryville Baseball Invite, winning three straight games by scoring 29 runs and allowing just nine. In a rematch with host Maryville University, however, the Lakers had to rally to tie the game at 2-2, and allowed the Saints to push across a late run that proved to be the difference maker, as they won 3-2.
 
Keith Browning had two hits for the Lakers on Sunday, giving him eight runs on the weekend to go along with six RBI's and four runs scored. Johnny Nate brought in the first run for Grand Valley State with a sacrifice fly, while Joel Schipper plated the other run with an RBI single.
 
Neither team would score in the first four innings, as the Lakers would strand two baserunners in the third inning, one in the fourth and another two in the fifth inning.
 
Maryville would finally get to GVSU starter Tim Tarter, bringing in two runs on an RBI single and a sacrifice bunt. Tarter would otherwise go unblemished, but would not record a decision after going six and one third innings, walking none and fanning four.
 
Grand Valley would tie the score in the following inning, as they plated two runs against Saints pitcher Josh Bonds  in relief, as Schipper followed Nate's sacrifice fly RBI with an RBI single of his own to score Seth Johnson, who had gotten on with a single.
 
After the Lakers were held scoreless in the seventh frame, the Saints got two aboard in the bottom of the inning, but were left scoreless after the Lakers recorded the final two outs and stranded the baserunners.
 
Maryville would strike again in the eighth inning with what would be the decisive run. After a leadoff single got the Saints Yoonjae Nam on base, he would advance to second on a sacrifice bunt.  The next batter would be hit by a pitch, putting two aboard. A grounder by the next batter got a force out at second base, but Nam advanced to third, setting up runners on the corners with two outs.  The Saints next attempted a double steal, with Nam advancing home and scoring the go ahead run. Even as the next batter flew out to right, ending the inning, the Lakers would have just one inning left to answer.
 
In the top of the ninth, the Lakers went three up, three down, ending the game and handing them their first loss of the Invite. Griffiths (0-1) took the tough luck loss for Grand Valley, pitching one and two thirds innings, giving up one run on one hit with one strikeout.
 
Grand Valley will now take a small hiatus from play before heading down to Florida for the Russmatt Invitational, held from March 8^th-14^th.