NASHVILLE, Tn.—The Grand Valley State baseball team got off to a hot start in the 2017 season, besting host Trevecca Nazarene 5-2 and 10-4 in the opening games of the Ed Stewart Classic in Nashville, Tennessee on Friday.
 
In the first game, the Lakers got to the Trojans early, as senior outfielder Keith Browning hit a one-out home run down the right field line to give the team an early 1-0 lead. Working with an early lead, Laker starter Kyle Lawson began what would shape up to be a dominant start, as he would strike out the side in the bottom of the first inning.
 
The top of the second inning saw the Lakers strike again, as they began the inning with three-straight singles from Seth Johnson, Michael Battistelli and Nick Schultz to load the bases. After Johnny Nate reached on an error, scoring Johnson, GVSU got back-to-back sacrifice flies from Alex Young and Browning, opening up a 4-0 lead.
 
Trevecca would not score in the second inning, as Lawson set the Trojans down in order to end the inning. After a quick Laker half of the third frame, the Trojans capitalized on a lone mistake from Lawson, as senior Patrick Reed homered down the left field line to trim the lead to 4-1. Lawson got past the next two batters to end the inning, but GVSU wasn't able to get anything going in the top of the fourth inning.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Lawson fanned the first two Trojans he faced, and then left the game with a 4-1 lead. In all, he pitched 3.2 innings, allowed two hits and struck out eight in earning the win. Junior Noah Lamboley came out in relief of Lawson and fanned the final Trojan to end the fourth inning. In the top of the fifth inning, Connor Glick hit a one-out triple down the right field line, and subsequently came in shortly thereafter as Anthony Villar reached on an error.
 
Trevecca would tack on a second run in the bottom of the fifth inning, an unearned run, but GVSU closer Matt Williams would come on to shut things down in the bottom of the seventh, fanning the side for his first save of the season.
 
In the second game, the Lakers struck early once again, this time in support of new GVSU starter Jake Mason. Alex Young got aboard on a single then stole second, and Browning walked to put two aboard. After a fielders choice saw Browning retired at second base, Villar walked to move Glick to second base and load them up. Following an infield fly by Williams, outfielder Seth Johnson delivered a two-out single through the left side to drive in Young and Glick, and advanced to second on a throwing error. Catcher Brody Andrews then singled through the left side as well to drive in Johnson and Villar, and just like that it was 4-0 GVSU.
 
Neither team would score until the fourth inning, when the Lakers upped their lead once again. Browning drew a one-out walk and then advanced to second on a passed ball, and came around to score shortly thereafter on a double to center field by Connor Glick. Trevecca would crack the scoreboard with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame, trimming the lead to 5-1, and again in the bottom of the fifth, making the score 5-2.
 
Mason would be relieved by Lamboley in the sixth inning of play, having pitched five full innings, surrendering three runs on four hits and striking out five batters. Mason earned his first Laker win in the victory
 
Continuing to score in the seventh inning was GVSU, as Williams led off with a double to right center, which Johnson followed with a bunt single to put runners at the corners with no outs. Andrew then delivered a double through the right side two drive in the duo and put GVSU up 8-3.  The Lakers then added a pair of runs on a passed ball and a fielder's choice to go up 10-3 entering the bottom of the seventh inning.
 
The Trojans would tack on a fourth run in the bottom of the frame, but Lamboley did not allow anything else, and the Lakers completed the two-game sweep.
 
Andrews led the way with two hits and four runs driven in, while Johnson finished with three hits, two runs scored and two driven in.  Connor Glick had three hits, a run scored and a run driven in.
 
The Lakers will face Alderson-Broaddus in a doubleheader on Saturday to close out the Ed Stewart Classic.