ALLENDALE, Mich.—It was a cold and rainy day for Saturday's doubleheader between GLIAC North Division leaders Grand Valley State and Hillsdale College, but the conditions didn't seem to bother the Lakers, as they took both games from the Chargers in the first of two weekend doubleheaders.
 
Grand Valley State (26-12-1) won the first game 5-4 on a walk off RBI single in extra innings, before breaking a tie late to pull away in the nightcap, 7-4. With the first game going into extra innings, the second game also became a seven inning game. With the pair wins, Grand Valley State clinches a spot in the 2016 GLIAC Tournament.
 
The Lakers will face off against Hillsdale tomorrow in a rubber match doubleheader, set for a 12:00 p.m start at GVSU Baseball Field. The games will be watchable via a live stream, as well as being televised on Comcast channel 900, viewable in Michigan.
 
In the first game of the doubleheader, Grand Valley State starter Josh Griffith had to work out of a jam in the first inning, as Hillsdale advanced a runner to third with just one out. Griffith got two slow groundouts, one to third base and one to himself, to end the threat and keep Hillsdale off the scoreboard in the first frame.
 
In the bottom of the inning, leadoff hitter Alex Young singled to give the Lakers a baserunner, promptly stole second and advanced to third on a flyout. He then trotted home easily on a deep sacrifice fly to center field by designated hitter Connor Glick, giving the Lakers an early 1-0 advantage.
 
After the Chargers pushed across a run in the top of the third inning to tie the game up at 1-1, the Lakers came back to re-take the lead in the bottom of the fourth. A pair of one out singles by Anthony Villar and Seth Johnson got the Lakers started, and the bases were loaded after Matt Williams singled. The next batter, Josh Smith, brought home Villar on a sacrifice fly to right field, giving the Lakers a 2-1 lead. The next batter, catcher Brody Andrews, cracked an RBI double to left field to score Johnson and make the lead 3-1 in favor of GVSU.
 
Hillsdale would not go down quietly, however, and a three run home run in the top of the fifth gave the Chargers their first lead of the game, 4-3.
 
With one out in the bottom of the inning, Jason Ribecky had the answer, as he hit his fifth home run of the season, a solo shot, with one out to even the game up at four runs apiece.
 
After the teams exchanged scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh innings, the game went to extra innings. Williams, who came on in relief of Griffith, surrendered a two out double to Hillsdale in the top of the eighth inning, but got a flyout to end the threat and give the Lakers the opportunity to win it in the bottom of the eighth.
 
After Villar led off the inning with a single, he advanced to second on Johnson's sacrifice bunt. The Chargers intentionally walked Williams, and with two men on and one out, Joel Schipper came up to pinch hit for Josh Smith. Schipper laced a bloop single into left center on the fifth pitch of the at-bat, bringing home Villar for the Laker's first walk off win of the season, 5-4.
 
Griffith (2-3) pitched six strong innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits, walking one and striking out two, but did not factor in the decision. Instead, Williams (2-0) won his second game of the season after pitching two innings in a non-save situation. He allowed one hit and struck out one.
 
Schipper was one of five Lakers to drive in a run, as Glick, Ribecky, Andrews and Smith all notched an RBI. Villar had two hits and scored both times he was on base, while Williams had a pair of hits and a walk.
 
In the second game, rain started to fall and the temperature dipped into the low 50's, which may have contributed to a troubling start for both starting pitchers. After Hillsdale tagged GVSU starter Kyle Lawson for three runs on three hits, the Lakers in turn got three runs back in the bottom of the inning.
 
With one out, Ribecky drew a four pitch walk off Charger starter Jacob Gardner. Glick then walked on six pitches, and the pair advanced to third and second, respectively, off of a passed ball one out later. Williams then reached on a throwing error, which advanced Glick to third and allowed Ribecky to score. A second error, this time on an attempted rundown, allowed Williams to advance to third and Glick to score, making the score 3-2. After Josh Griffith walked, right fielder Keith Browning laced a single down the left field line to score Williams and bring the score to 3-3.
 
After the teams exchanged three scoreless frames, the Lakers scored a pair of runs in the fifth inning. Williams led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on Griffith's sacrifice bunt, and moved to third on a perfectly laid bunt single by Browning. A sacrifice bunt then moved Browning to second, setting up two runners in scoring position for shortstop Johnny Nate. Nate delivered with a gap shot single to left center, driving in Williams and Browning for the go-ahead runs and making the score 5-3.
 
Hillsdale would score their fourth run in the top of the sixth inning off of Lawson, scoring on a sacrifice fly after a leadoff pinch hit double to trim the lead to 5-4.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, and nursing a slim 5-4 lead, the Lakers got the insurance runs they needed in the form of a two run home run from Villar to go up by the final margin of 7-4. It was Villar's first home run since the season opener against Southern Indiana on February 19^th, also a two run shot.
 
Lawson (8-2) would earn the win on the mound, his eighth of the season, by pitching six innings, allowing four earned runs on nine hits, walking three and striking out six batters. Williams would come on in the seventh, allowing one hit and striking out one in earning his 14^th save of the season.
 
Villar and Nate each had a pair of RBI's to lead Grand Valley State, while Williams had a pair of hits, a pair of runs and an RBI to go along with his pitching contributions. Glick had a hit and a pair of runs scored, as well as a pair of walks.