ALLENDALE – The Grand Valley State baseball team opens up their GLIAC schedule with a doubleheader Sunday (March 27) at Saginaw Valley State beginning at 1:00 PM. The Lakers will then travel to Hammond, Indiana for a doubleheader at Purdue Northwest Monday (March 28) at 1:00 PM.
 
The Lakers enter the GLIAC schedule on a seven-game win streak and have won 11 of their last 12 games averaging eight runs a game during that span. GVSU defeated Hillsdale in their last game 11-3 on the road on Tuesday (March 21). Jonas Gulbrandsen has had a strong start to his sophomore campaign leading the Lakers with a .400 batting average and four doubles. Gulbrandsen has drove in 12 runs on the year and scored nine. Junior Jake Rydquist is batting .390 on the season and junior Connor Schuman has notched a .380 batting average and a team leading 14 runs batted in which is also five in the GLIAC. Junior Kyle Nott leads the Lakers with 22 hits and 19 runs scored.
 
The Laker pitching staff has notched a 4.39 team ERA this season led by junior Nick Rutkowski who has a 1.38 ERA in four starts which tops the GLIAC. Rutkowski is 3-1 on the season and was named the GLIAC Pitcher of the Week after earning the win against Salem after tossing seven innings allowing just one earned run with five strikeouts. Sophomore Colby Phipps is 3-0 to start the season in four appearances making three starts. Phipps pitched a complete game in his last start tossing eight innings allowing just two runs with six strikeouts in a 4-2 win against Wilmington during the spring trip in Florida. Freshman Mike Morawski has been a key piece to the staff so far this season. Morawski is 2-0 appearing in two games notching a 0.61 ERA with nine strikeouts. 
 
Saginaw Valley enters Sunday's doubleheader with a 10-9 record. The Cardinals opened up their GLIAC schedule by sweeping a doubleheader at home against Purdue Northwest on Friday (March 24). The offense is averaging just over six runs a game with a .279 team batting average. Junior Colin Cornwell leads the Saginaw Valley with a .373 batting average including 25 hits and 18 runs batted in which ranks second in the GLIAC. Sophomore Reed Raymond has notched a .305 batting average including 14 runs scored, while junior Jaccar Watkins is hitting .328 on the season and leads the Cardinals with six doubles and two triples. The Cardinal pitching staff has a 5.42 team ERA and are led by junior Tyler McLaren who is 4-0 on the season with a 1.82 ERA. McLaren leads the team with 38 strikeouts, while only walking five. Junior Hunter Merillat leads all Cardinal starters with a 1.05 ERA and is 3-0 on the season with 24 strikeouts. 
 
Purdue Northwest enters Monday's doubleheader with a 4-12 record. The Pride opened up their GLIAC schedule by losing both games in a doubleheader at Saginaw Valley Friday (March 24). Junior Luke Montgomery leads the Pride with a .391 batting average. Montgomery has notched 18 hits and scored 13 runs. Graduate Ray Hilbrich is batting .346 on the season and leads the Pride with 14 runs scored and is second with 10 runs batted in. Hilbrich has launched three home runs which ranks second in the GLIAC. Sophomore Beldon Glasgow leads the Pride offense with 13 runs batted in. The Pride pitching staff has posted a 6.71 team ERA led by junior Sam Shively who leads the staff with 18 strikeouts in four appearances. 
 
Follow @gvsubaseball on Twitter for live in-game updates all weekend long and visit gvsulakers.com for links to live stats and live video.