CALEDONIA, Mich. -- The Grand Valley State Lakers split a doubleheader with the Davenport Panthers Sunday in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) action, dropping game one, 6-3, before a 2-1 win in the second game on a chilly day on the campus of Davenport University. The Lakers will have a chance at a split of the four-game series with a win in Monday's finale. The Lakers are now 17-13 on the season and 6-5 in the conference while the Panthers now sit at 17-12 overall and 7-4 in league play.
The Lakers fell in game one, but for the second straight game got the potential tying run to the plate in the final inning of regulation. GVSU scored a run in the seventh and had two aboard, but couldn't complete the comeback.
Ryan Blake-Jones drove in two of the three GVSU runs in the game, tying the game (2-2) with a run-scoring single in the third, but Davenport would rattle off four runs over the next two innings to pull away. Blake-Jones drove home the Laker run in the seventh inning, but that was all the team would get.
Blake Dahlstrom suffered the loss (2-4), allowing six runs - four earned - on seven hits and three walks.
Noah Lamboley hurled three scoreless innings of relief to keep the Lakers close.
GVSU would finish the job in the nightcap, scoring two runs in the final two innings for a come-from-behind 2-1 win.
Travis Keys allowed a first-inning run, but followed up with four zeros on the hill before
Alex Licata (W, 1-1) hurled a scoreless sixth and
Kyle Lawson (S, 7) would hold off the Panthers in the seventh to give the Lakers a narrow victory. Down a run in the sixth,
Nolan Anspaugh singled back up the middle to chase home
Christian Faust and tie the game. Then, in the seventh,
Josh C. Smith found space through the left side for a base knock that brought home
Chase Carpenter and gave the Lakers their first lead of the game.
The cross-town foes finish their inaugural conference series Monday in a 3:00 PM game in Caledonia. A win by the Lakers would force a split of the four-game set. GVSU returns home Tuesday to host Hillsdale in regional, non-conference action at the GVSU Baseball Field.