ALLENDALE, Mich.-- The Grand Valley State baseball team split the second doubleheader in a weekend series with Hillsdale College at home on Sunday, which moves the Lakers to 26-16 overall and 14-10 in GLIAC play this season. Hillsdale took the opening game of the twin bill 4-2 before the Lakers surged to take the nightcap by a 6-2 score. 

The Lakers scored solo runs in the second and fourth inning of the opening game, as Keith Browning tallied an RBI single in the former and an RBI double in the latter to plate both Laker runs. A three-run home run in the fifth inning gave Hillsdale the game-winning runs, however. Browning tallied two hits and both Laker RBI, while Seth Johnson went 3-for-3 in the contest. 

In game two, the Lakers fell behind the Chargers 2-0 through three innings of play, but a timely swing of the bat by Josh Smith turned things around for the Lakers in the fifth inning. After Johnny Nate singled up the middle to lead off the inning, Smith launched his fourth home run of the season over the right center field wall to tie the game up at 2-2. The hit seemed to energize the Lakers, as Anthony Villar doubled and then came home on a deep RBI double to center field by Seth Johnson for a 3-2 lead. 

GVSU never relinquished that lead, as excellent work by Laker relievers Brendan Nearing, Troy Dykhuis and Matt Williams pitched a shutout over the final six innings with 13 strikeouts in the process. A Josh Smith run on a wild pitch and a Connor Glick two-run home run tacked on three more runs in the seventh. 

Nearing (1-0) earned the win in relief, pitching two innings and fanning six. Williams picked up the three-inning save,the 38th of his career, by striking out seven batters en route to closing out the game. Johnson tallied another three hits to lead the Lakers, while Browning tallied two more on a day where he was one of nine GVSU seniors recognized for their career accomplishments. Smith scored twice and drove in two more.