XENIA, Ohio—The Grand Valley State baseball team scored a pivotal late run in the eighth inning to break open a tie ballgame in the 2016 GLIAC Tournament Championship game, and the go-ahead score proved to be the decisive run, as they defeated Walsh 6-5 to win the 11^th tournament title in program history.
 
As the winner of the GLIAC Tournament, the Lakers also guaranteed their spot in next weekends Midwest Regional Tournament, although as the fourth seed in the region going into the conference tournament they were likely to earn a spot regardless. A selection show will occur at 10 p.m on Sunday night to determine the seedings and matchups for the regional tournament.
 
With both teams facing depleted pitching staffs on the tail end of a slate of weekend games, the starting pitcher for both teams were relievers, with Walsh starting their closer, Tyson Lautanen, and the Lakers starting junior Sawyer Chambers.
 
After the two teams exchanged scoreless first inning frames, the Lakers got to Lautanen in the bottom of the second. After outfielder Seth Johnson walked to begin the bottom half of the inning, he was moved to second base by a Jason Ribecky single. First baseman Josh Griffith then singled up the middle, scoring Johnson for an early 1-0 lead.
 
Next, catcher Connor Glick reached on a fielder's choice that saw Ribecky forced out at third, Griffith advanced to second, and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Shortstop Johnny Nate then singled to left field, scoring Griffith for a second Laker run.
 
Walsh struck back, however, tagging Chambers with three runs off of a handful of base hits in the top of the third inning. This gave Walsh a 3-2 lead in the game, and prompted the Lakers to bring in senior southpaw Tim Tarter in relief of Chambers. Tarter (9-1) would work out of trouble in the third and continue to pitch the bulk of the game, earning the win while hurling 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits but striking out three.
 
Tarter got some run support in the bottom of the fourth after Jason Ribecky singled with one out to get on base ahead of designated hitter Josh Griffith. Griffith unloaded on the first pitch he saw from Lautanen, knocking the pitch over the fence in left center. The two run blast put the Lakers ahead 4-3 after four full innings.
 
GVSU expanded the margin to 5-3 in the fifth, when Josh Smith came around to score on an Anthony Villar single to second base. Smith had singled to get on base, part of a 2/4 day at the plate, and advanced to second on a passed ball, and to third on a groundout.
 
The Cavaliers struck again in the seventh, scoring two runs off Tarter with back to back triples to tie the game up at 5-5 at the middle of the seventh inning.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, GVSU got the go-ahead run by timely hitting and a Cavalier error. Johnson led off the inning with a single, and advanced to second on a perfect sacrifice bunt from Ribecky. Griffith then singled to center field, advancing Johnson to third. As Johnson arrived at third, however, the center fielder bobbled the ball, and the error allowed Johnson to trot home easily for the go-ahead run.
 
With the slim lead in hand, the Lakers turned, of course, to star closer Matt Williams, to try and earn his 20^th save of the season and fourth of the tournament. The Cavaliers advanced a man to first and second base before Williams induced a line out to center field for the final out and a victory sealing save. His single season mark of 20 ties the NCAA Division II record for saves in a single season, set by Adam Zimmerman of St. Joseph's in 2005, and tied by Jameson Maj of Abilene Christian in 2007.
 
Griffith led the Lakers on offense, with three hits and three runs batted in, while scoring two. Nate had a hit and drove a run in, while Villar notched his eighth RBI in three games. Seth Johnson had a walk and a hit, and scored a run both times he got on base.

Five Lakers were named to the All-Tournament Team, three position players and two pitchers. Second baseman Josh Smith was named second baseman All-Tournament for his red hot hitting in the tournament, going 11 for 21 in the five game stretch and scoring five runs. Anthony Villar was recognized at the third base position, driving in a team high nine RBI for the Lakers in the tournament, including six in a 9-8 win over Wayne State. Senior Josh Griffith was recognized as the All-Tournament designated hitter, batting 7 for 13 over the tournament, scoring two runs and driving in three, including a two run home run in the championship game against Walsh. 

For his sterling efforts in GVSU's 4-0 win over Walsh in the semfinals, senior Zach Anderson was recognized on one of the teams three starting pitcher positions. Anderson hurled 7.2 shutout innings, scattering seven hits and striking out three while combining with Matt Williams for the complete game shutout.  Williams was selected for the teams utility position, as he made a mark both with his bat and his arm in the weekend slate of games. In addition to batting in four runs and scoring six over the course of the tournament, he also recorded a save in each of the Laker's four wins, as they won three of the four games by just one run. Williams did not allow a run in the tournament, and struck out six batters over 5.1 winnings of work. 

To view the entire 2016 GLIAC Baseball All-Tournament Team, click here and scrolling to the bottom of the page.