HARROGATE, TN. – The Grand Valley State baseball team will begin the 2020 campaign with a three-game series against Ohio Dominican in the Volunteer State this weekend on the campus of Lincoln Memorial University. The Lakers will then take next weekend off before heading to Florida to play 12 games in nine days beginning March 1.
 
Schedule/Times
 
Saturday, Feb. 22 – 1:00 PM (9 innings)
Saturday, Feb. 22 – 4:00 PM (7 innings)
Sunday, Feb. 23 – 12:00 PM (9 innings)
 
Live Stats
 
Stay tuned to gvsulakers.com and @gvsubaseball on twitter for any schedule updates that may occur throughout the weekend.
 
The Lakers return 18 letterwinners from a season ago including senior catcher Joe Laudont, an All-GLIAC Second Team honoree last season, who hit .358 including three home runs, two triples, and eight doubles, to go along with a .477 OBP. Senior first baseman Ryan Blake-Jones, who missed the last half of the season to an injury, will look to build off a successful 2018 campaign where he earned All-GLIAC First Team and All-Region laurels, batting .407 with 74 hits, 51 RBIs, 44 runs, six home runs, and nine doubles. Senior infielders Parker Murdie (.284 avg, only 7 errors at SS) and Anthony Cocco (.270 avg) are back after starting in every game last season and senior Nate Bonter, who hit .371 a season ago, also returns. Junior infielder Jordan Chandler (Carl Sandburg), junior outfielder Spencer Nelson (Kellogg CC) and freshman outfielder Nathan Logan (South Lyon HS) are newcomers to watch during the opening weekend.
 
Rylan Peets, the reigning GLIAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year, returns for his sophomore year after a strong freshman campaign where he threw 47.1 innings, carried a 2.85 ERA, and struck out 37 batters. Redshirt Junior Nick Shaw, who has battled injuries throughout his career, is primed to contribute significantly to the pitching staff, while sophomore Sam Leck, and juniors Nathan Wargolet (Kalamazoo Valley CC), Michael Barno (Lansing CC), Mark Scannell (Kellogg CC), and Ben Thomas (Kalamazoo Valley CC) could be looked upon throughout the weekend to provide quality innings.
 
Ohio Dominican opened up their season last weekend and was swept by Lindenwood in a three-game series. The Panthers failed to scored a run, while being outscored 17-0 throughout the trio of games. Senior Joey Machuga was the only player to have more than two hits as he finished the weekend 4-for-10 with two walks. Ohio Dominican's starting pitchers gave up 12 earned runs in 11 innings pitched, however the bullpen was the lone highlight for the Panthers in their opening series, limiting Lindenwood to just three earned runs in 13 innings.
 
The Panthers were picked to win the GMAC East Division after finishing 32-23 last season. Head coach Christopher Antonides is entering his fourth season at the helm and has won at least 25 games during his first three years in Columbus. Last season, GVSU and ODU played in Evansville, Ind. apart of Dunn Hospitality Classic where the Panthers won 10-6, moving their win streak in the series to four games.