Grand Valley State claimed an 8-1 victory over Parkside in the opening game of the 2024 GLIAC Baseball Tournament being held at Jackson Field in Lansing, Michigan. The #2-seeded Lakers will advance to the Friday evening game to face the winner of Wayne State versus Davenport. 
 
Grand Valley State struck first with a run in the bottom of the second when Nate Logan reached on an error and 3B Jake Rydquist doubled to left to score Logan with two outs. 
 
Parkside scored a single run in the top of the third and pitcher Nick Rutowski worked out of a bases loaded jam with one out when he got a strikeout and a fly out to right. 
 
The Lakers pushed across three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Rydquist was hit by a pitch with one out and 2B Ayden VanEnkevort singled Rydquist to third. CF Kyle Nott singled to left to score Rydquist, then stole second. LF Ryan Dykstra singled to right to score VanEnkevort and Nott. 
 
 
Rydquist was the catalyst again in the bottom of the seventh when he opened the inning with a single and VanEnkevort walked. Nott reached on a bunt single to load the bases and Dykstra followed with an RBI single to center. DH Jonas Gulbrandsen hit a sac fly to score VanEnkevort and Nott scored on a fielders choice off the bat of C Brendan Guciardo. SS Connor Schuman drove in Dykstra with a sac fly to left to complete the scoring for the Lakers. 
 
 
Senior Nick Rutkowski (7-4) picked up the win on the mound, yielding one run on six hits with four strikeouts. The win was the 21^st in his career and moved him into a tie for third on the all-time ledger. Senior Logan Wynalda and junior Colby Phipps each pitched a scoreless inning for the Lakers. 
 
Rydquist was 3-3 with and RBI and two runs scored, while Dykstra was 2-4 with three RBI and a run scored. Nott was 2-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Schuman drove in a run with a sac fly. VanEnkevort was 2-4 with two runs scored. 

Grand Valley State improves to 53-17 all-time in GLIAC Tournament action.