WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Grand Valley State baseball team wrapped up their spring trip in Florida with an 11-9 win in 12 innings against Wayne State (Neb.) Sunday (March 12) at Bing Tyus Yard on the campus of Polk State College. The Lakers went 9-1 in the sunshine state and improved their overall record to 9-4, while Wayne State (Neb.) falls to 6-8. 
 
GVSU got the bats hot early by scoring four runs off four hits in the top of the first inning. Spencer Nelson led off the game with a triple to right center and Kyle Nott brought him home with an RBI double to left field. Two batters later, Jonas Gulbrandsen singled to left center to score Nott. Later in the inning Ayden VanEnkevort notched an RBI triple to right field to make it 3-0 and scored on a sacrifice flyout hit by Connor Schuman.
 
Wayne State (Neb.) answered with three runs in the bottom half of the first inning off two hits and a Laker error. The Wildcats would tie the game at four in the third inning off an RBI single to center field. The Lakers regained the lead in the fourth inning with two runs making it 6-4. Brendan Guciardo led off the inning with a single up the middle. Two batters later, Justin Mansager tripled to right field and scored on the next at bat off an RBI single up the middle by Nelson. 
 
The Wildcats tied the game in the bottom half of the inning. Wayne State (Neb.) made it 6-5 on a wild pitch and tied the game on a solo home run to center field. The Wildcats would take their first lead of the game on the sixth inning on an RBI groundout. 
 
The Lakers tied the game at seven in the seventh inning. VanEnkevort led off the inning with an infield single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Schuman. After a Guciardo walk and Jake Rydquist single to load the bases, Mansager hit a sacrifice fly to right field to send home VanEnkevort. 
 
Both teams were held scoreless the last two and a half innings to send the game to extra innings for the second consecutive game for the Lakers. After a scoreless tenth inning that sent the game to the 11th inning, the Lakers were kept off the board in the top of the inning. Wayne State loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half. Mike Morawski recorded a huge strikeout for two out and got a groundout for the third out of the inning to keep the Lakers alive. 
 
In the top of the 12^th, Kyle Nott got the offense started with a single up the middle. Nathan Logan followed with a single of his own to left field to put runners on first and second with one out. Next batter, Gulbrandsen launched a triple to right center that scored both Nott and Logan to put the Lakers up 9-7. Next at bat, VanEnkevort singled through the left side to score Gulbrandsen and increase the lead to three. Rydquist put the Lakers up 11-7 with an RBI single to right center.
 
Wayne State (Neb.) managed to score two runs in the bottom half of the 12^th, but Jake Rydquist was able to record the final out to earn his first save of the season. Allan Thorington got the start on the bump for the Lakers and earned a no decision after tossing four innings allowing five runs off six hits with four strikeouts. Mike Morawski earned the win (2-0) after throwing 7.2 innings of relief allowing three runs (zero earned) on five hits, while striking out five. 
 
Offensivley the Lakers notched a season high 23 hits with nine player recording multiple hits and four with three or more hits. GVSU was led by freshman Ayden VanEnkevort who went 4-6 with two runs batted in and two runs scored. Brendan Guciardo hit 3-5 with a run scored and two walk. Jonas Gulbrandsen batted 3-7 on the day with a team high three runs batted in and two runs scored. Kyle Nott also hit 3-7 including two doubles, two runs scored, and an RBI. Spencer Nelson, Nathan Logan, Connor Schuman, Jake Rydquist and Justin Mansager each had two hits. 
 
The Lakers will travel to Erie, Pennslvania next weekend to face Salem in a doubleheader on Saturday (March 18) and the host Mercyhurst in a doubleheader on Sunday (March 19). Follow @gvsubaseball for live in-game updates all weekend long and visit gvsulakers.com for links to live stats and video.