ALLENDALE, Mich.—A promising effort turned sour followed by an explosive outburst were the storylines for the day in GVSU Baseball's doubleheader split with GLIAC foe Tiffin on Saturday. The Dragons scored six late runs to upend the Lakers 6-4 in the opening seven-inning contest, before the Laker bats came alive in a 15-4 pounding of Tiffin in the nine inning final.
 
With the split, GVSU moves to 14-10 on the season (2-4 GLIAC), and is now 2-1 at home. In the first game, Anthony Villar's first inning RBI single gave starter Jake Mason (2-3) all the support he needed through four innings, as he held the Dragons hitless into the fifth inning. There, a hit batsmen, a single and a walk loaded the bases, and two base hits later the Lakers trailed 4-1.
 
GVSU would score twice in the bottom of the sixth to make things interesting, however, as Seth Johnson hit a leadoff home run to cut the score to 4-2. Matt Williams then hit a pinch-hit double to right field and scored on a throwing error by the shortstop one batter later to make the score 4-3.
 
Tiffin came right back, however, scoring two decisive runs in the top of the seventh to pull ahead for good. A solo home run by Johnny Nate gave the Lakers a small spark in the bottom of the seventh, but the game would end at 6-4.
 
Mason took the loss despite pitching a gem through four frames, as he gave up four runs on two hits, two walks and a strikeout. Johnson, Nate, Austin LaDoux and Anthony Villar each had two hits in the contest.
 
In the second game, the Lakers and starter Ryan Arnold (2-1) fell behind 2-0 in the first frame, before getting one run back on an RBI single by Johnson.
 
Trailing 2-1 entering the third inning, the Lakers got a leadoff single from Josh Smith, who then stole second. A double by Connor Glick then drove in Johnson, and the Lakers then loaded the bases for Austin LaDoux. LaDoux delivered a base knock to left field to score Glick and Matt Williams, who was struck by a pitch. Brody Andrews then drove in Johnson with a single to left center to make it 5-2.
 
After a pitching change by the Dragons, Alex Young drove in LaDoux with an RBI single, and Andrews was plated by a single from Josh Smith shortly thereafter.
 
After Tiffin plated two runs in the top of the fourth to pull within 7-4, the Lakers scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth, and tacked on five more in the sixth, keyed by a two-run home run from Andrews. The eight runs over two frames brought the game to a 15-4 margin, and the Lakers coasted to the easy win in the nightcap.
 
Grand Valley State managed 19 hits, led by a 4-for-6 effort from Smith, who scored three times and drove in three runs. Andrews notched three hits, three RBI and two runs scored, while Glick tallied three hits, two runs scored and two driven in. LaDoux tallied two hits, two runs scored and two batted in.
 
Arnold was well supported in the win, as he pitched 5.1 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits. He walked one but fanned six batters. Troy Dykhuis pitched 3.2 innings in relief, striking out six and allowing just one hit.