ORLANDO, Fla.—The #6 Grand Valley State baseball team snapped a three game losing streak and ended the RussMatt Invitational on a high note on Tuesday by defeating Pace University 3-2 at the Laky Myrtle Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. The Lakers scored once in the fourth inning and twice in the sixth inning to provide all the scoring needed to earn the win, and held off the Setters (3-6) in the final innings to improve to 9-5 overall.
Brody Andrews tallied three hits, scored two runs and drove in another to lead the Lakers, while
Matt Williams drove in two runs before securing the final four outs on the mound to earn his fourth save of the season.
Tuesday's contest began with three scoreless innings between the two teams, as Laker starter
Noah Lamboley worked the Setters lineup and Pace starter Dan Wirchansky carved up the Laker lineup with six strikeouts through the first three innings. Finally, the Lakers struck in the fourth, as Andrews notched his second hit with one out to get the Lakers started, and advanced to third on back to back walks by
Austin LaDoux and
Anthony Villar. Williams then lifted a deep fly to right field, allowing Andrews to tag and come home on the sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead.
After Pace evened the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the frame on a solo home run to left field, the Lakers would score the decisive second and third runs in the sixth inning off Wirchansky.
Connor Glick set up the first run by doubling to the gap in deep left center field, and advanced to third base on a passed ball shortly thereafter.
Brody Andrews then hit a double of his own to right center field to score Glick for a 2-1 lead. Andrews then advanced to third on a double play, and would come home to score easily on a triple to left center by Williams, making the score 3-1 after six full innings of play.
In the bottom of the seventh, Lamboley was relieved by
Troy Dykhuis, who saw the Setters score a run off a fielding error to trim the score to 3-2. After Dykhuis was relieved by
Tate Brawley and the latter pitched one and one third scoreless innings, GVSU handed the ball over to Williams to record the final four outs of the game. Williams fanned the final batter of the Setter eighth, and struck out the side in the ninth inning in order to give the Lakers a crucial final win to the Florida trip.
Lamboley (2-0) earned the win on the mound, his second as a Laker, after pitching six solid innings. He allowed one run on four hits while walking two and striking out one batter. Overall, the Lakers struggled at the plate, hitting just 6-32 (.188) and amassing 15 strikeouts against the Setters pitching.
The Lakers return to action this weekend, with a three-game series against Wisconsin-Parkside at a neutral site.
