KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Grand Valley State Lakers got a dominant performance from starting pitcher Ryan Arnold in a 5-2 win in game one of their doubleheader with No. 30 Slippery Rock Saturday afternoon. Arnold went the distance in the 7-inning contest, striking out a career-high 12 batters. The Lakers improve to 8-5 on the season and drop the Rock to 3-2  on the season.

Arnold (W, 3-0) went seven strong frames, allowing two runs – one earned – on two hits and a pair of walks to go along with his 12 strikeouts. Alex Pantuso (L, 0-2) was the tough-luck loser, allowing five runs (just one earned) in 4.2 innings on the hill. The Rock made four errors behind him in the game.

A four-run fifth inning gave the Lakers separation when a pair of Rock errors led to four unearned runs for GVSU. After the first blunder set up first and third with one out, Ryan Blake-Jones chopped a single into left field to break the tie (2-1). After a walk and another error, Zach Berry drew a walk to push across another run before Josh C. Smith slapped a two-run single up the middle to cap off the big inning.

The Laker defense answered with big plays in the home half of the fifth. Jacob Gleason made a full-extension diving catch in right field for the first out before Smith tracked a shallow pop fly in center for a fine play from his second base position and Arnold faced the minimum in a shutdown frame.

The Lakers struck first in game one when Nolan Anspaugh drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, tagged to third on a flyout, and then scored on the second wild pitch of the inning. GVSU was able to manufacture the run without a hit in the frame. After a Laker error extended the third inning for Slippery Rock, their first hit of the game drove home the tying run with two outs in the inning.