XENIA, Ohio—The Grand Valley State baseball team surrendered six early runs on the way to a 12-5 defeat at the hands of the No.3 seed Malone Pioneers on Friday at Grady Field in Xenia, Ohio. With the loss, the Lakers drop to 32-16-1 overall on the season, and will face the loser of the Thursday evening matchup between No. 4 Wayne State and No. 5 Walsh on Friday, at 10:30 a.m.
 
The Pioneers scored a pair of first inning runs to open the game off Laker starter Kyle Lawson (8-4).  After a scoreless bottom of the first for the Lakers and a scoreless top of the second for the Pioneers, the Lakers would tie the game up at 2-2 in the bottom of the second.
 
Johnny Nate hit a deep double to center field with two outs to score Seth Johnson, who had singled, and Josh Smith, who had reach on a fielder's choice.
 
After tying the game up at 2-2, the Lakers simply could not hold the Pioneers down, as they knocked out 19 hits through the first five innings, and jumped out to a 12-2 heading into the sixth inning. From that point on, the Pioneers managed just one hit, an infield single, and did not score for the remainder of the game, but the damage was done, as the Lakers would add a few late runs but not mount a serious rally.
 
Lawson was charged with the loss, giving up nine earned runs in 3.1 innings. Brett Nearing pitched 2/3 of an inning in relief of Lawson, and was in turn relieved by Sawyer Chambers, who pitched an inning. Brendan Nearing and Reid Kelley pitched three and one shutout innings, respectively, combining for just one hit allowed and striking out four.
 
Nate had two RBI for the Lakers, while Johnson scored a run and drove in another on two hits. Center fielder Alex Young had a pair of hits and a pair of steals, while Joel Schipper and Tyler Ramoie each drove in a run with late inning hits.