CLEARWATER, Fla.—Finishing the annual Florida baseball trip on a high note was of paramount importance for the Grand Valley State baseball team heading into their final contest on Monday afternoon. The Lakers accomplished that in a big way, posting a season high 17 runs in a 17-9 victory over Rockhurst at Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater, Florida. The victory improves GVSU to 7-6-1 overall on the season.
 
Third baseman Anthony Villar led the Lakers with three hits and six runs batted in. He also stole a base and scored three runs. Villar became the most recent Laker to have six RBI in a game, since Kevin Zak did it last season against Ohio Dominican on 3/21/15. First baseman Josh Griffith did his part as well, driving in four runs on two hits and scoring a run.
 
Jason Ribecky had three hits and two walks, scoring on all five times he reached base in the game. He matched his own program best mark of five runs scored in a game, accomplished twice last season. Johnny Nate had a pair of hits, an RBI and a run scored.
 
After a scoreless first inning for both teams, GVSU wasted no time in pouncing on the Hawks in the second inning, scoring a quick three runs off of an RBI double by Villar and RBI singles from Seth Johnson and Josh Smith. Villar would add an RBI single in the fourth inning, scoring Jason Ribecky, to give the Lakers a 4-0 lead.
 
The Hawks responded in the bottom of the inning, scoring five unearned runs, all with two outs in the inning, to jump in front of GVSU 5-4. After falling behind almost as quickly as they had taken the lead, the Lakers nonetheless shook off the blow and struck back in the fourth inning, getting RBI singles from Matt Williams and Johnny Nate and an RBI double from Griffith. Villar and catcher Connor Glick both were hit by pitches with the bases loaded and drove in runs on those two plays as well, as GVSU jumped back in front 11-5.
 
Not going down quietly, Rockhurst scored four runs of its own in the bottom of the inning, including a three run homerun to left field, to make the score 11-9 in just the fourth inning. It would end up being the last score for the Hawks in the game.
 
Responding in the fifth for GVSU was none other than Villar, who drove in his eighth and ninth runs in the past three games with an RBI single in the fifth inning to give GVSU a four run cushion, 13-9.
 
After a scoreless sixth inning for both teams, the Lakers would get a brace of runs in the seventh inning, as Jason Ribecky doubled to center field to score Williams, and was in turn driven in by Villar moments later.
 
GVSU would round out the scoring in the ninth, as Griffith singled to right field and scored Ribecky, and Seth Johnson hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Villar. These final tallies gave the Lakers a season high 17 runs, three more than their previous high of 14 runs, set earlier this season against Maryville. It also marked the first time a Laker team has scored more than 15 runs since a game against Ashland on 5/8/14, in which they scored 15 runs.
 
Earning the win on the mound was Zach Anderson (2-1), who came on in relief of starter Troy Dykhuis. Anderson pitched five innings, giving up just one hit, walking one and striking out four. Matt Wiliams came in to pitch a scoreless ninth, striking out two batters and allowing no hits.