#8 Grand Valley State claimed an 8-5 non-conference win over in-region foe Upper Iowa Thursday in Peru, Illinois. The Lakers, who improve to 37-10 overall, will face Upper Iowa in a doubleheader Friday (May2). 
 
Upper Iowa got on the board first with a solo home run, but GVSU answered with a run in the bottom half of the frame. SS Evan Morrison doubled, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout by 1B Jonas Gulbrandsen. The Lakers added three runs on three hits in the second. CF Caden Thelen hit a solo home run to left, RF Ryan Stimac doubled and scored on a double to left by Morrison. Morrison then stole third and scored on a throwing error by the catcher. 
 
Grand Valley State added a run in the bottom of the fourth when 2B Ayden VanEnkevort walked, stole second and third and scored on sac fly by 3B Caleb Estrada. Upper Iowa tied the game with two runs in the fifth and two in the seventh, but the Lakers answered once again in the bottom half of the inning. 
 
Estrada opened the inning with a single and went to second on a balk. Morrison moved Estrada to third with a groundout and LF Ryan Dykstra plated Estrada with a groundout to second to give the Lakers a 6-5 lead. DH Jovan Gill walked with two outs, Gulbrandsen double to left and C Brendan Guciardo came through with a 2-out, 2-run double to left. 
 
GVSU was aided by two spectacular defensive plays in the game, one when Stimac threw out a runner at third before a potential run scored, and another when Morrison made a catch in short right center. 
 
Morrison was 2-4 with two runs scored and one RBI, while Guciardo was 1-4 with a double and two RBI. Dykstra, Gulbrandsen, Thelen, Stimac and Estrada each drove in a run. 

Colby Phipps started on the mound, yielding three earned runs with five strikeouts in four innings. Zach Warren (2-0) picked up the win in 3.0 innings, and Will Goebel earned his sixth save of the year with two clean innings and two strikeouts.