#15 Grand Valley State swept a non-conference DH from #9 Northwood Friday afternoon at Mountain Dew Park in Marion, Illinois to open the season. The Lakers won game 1 14-2, followed by a 9-1 win in game two. The same two teams will square off Saturday at 1 p.m. (ET).
 
Game 1
The Lakers scored early and often in game one, opening with four in top of the first. Senior SS Evan Morrison drilled a triple to right center on the first pitch of the game, and the scoring barrage was on. LF Caden Thelen, 3B Caleb Estrada and DH Will Bowen each drove in a run. Morrison doubled to open the second inning and Thelen tripled to plate Morrison. 1B Jovan Gill plated Thelen and the Lakers led 6-0.
 
A seven-run top of the third broke the game open. Thelen pushed a run across with a bases loaded walk and Gill drove in two with a single to right center. 3B Caleb Estrada then hit a grand slam to left that landed in a lake. Thelen pushed across the final run with a sac fly.

Morrison went 4-4 with 2 doubles, a triple and three runs scored, while Thelen was 1-3 with 4 RBI and three runs. Gill was 1-4 with three RBI and Estrada 2-4 with five RBI and a grand slam. Junior RHP Owen Avery picked up the win, yielding two runs and three hits with three strikeouts in 4.0 innings pitched. Junior RHP JJ Manion gave up just two hits with three strikeouts in the final 3.0 innings. 
 
Game 2
GVSU plated four runs in the bottom of the first inning in game two. Morrison single and stole second and third. Gill plated Morrison and CF Jake Skaggs tripled in Gill. Bowen scored Skaggs and 2B Ayden VanEnkevort doubled home Bowen. The Lakers scored three in the bottom of the fifth on four hits. Morrison opened the frame with a single and Thelen hit a ground rule double to right center. Gill plated Morrison with a ground out and Skaggs hit his second triple of the game to score Thelen. Estrada reached on a fielder's choice and scored on a Bowen single. 

The Lakers added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. RF Ryan Stimac doubled to left center, went to third on a balk and scored on a Morrison double to left. Thelen plated Morrison for the Lakers' final run. 

Morrison was 4-5 with three runs, a double, a triple and an RBI, while Skaggs was 2-4, two RBI and two triples. Thelen was 2-4 with a double, Bowen was 2-3 with two RBI and Gill drove in a pair. 

Collin Bradley picked up the win, going 5.0 innings and yielding four hits with five strikeout 5K, followed by senior Duncan McLaughlin who picked up the save, going 4.0 innings with seven strikeouts. 
 
Some offensive numbers for the Laker…
Morrison was 8-for-9 with six runs, 3 2B, 2 3B, 1 RBI and 3 stolen bases
Skaggs was 3-for-6 with three runs, two RBI, 2 3B and a double
Bowen was 3-for-7 with three RBI and one run scored
Thelen was 3-for-7 with four runs, a double, a triple and five RBI
Stimac was 3-for-8 with three runs and a double
VanEnkevort was 2-for-7 with a run and a double
Estrada was 2-for-8 with a grand slam, five RBI and three runs scored
Gill was drove in five runs and scored two runs

On the mound.... 
Four GVSU pitchers  (Avery, Manion, Bradley and McLaughlin) yielded three runs, two earned, on 12 hits with 18 strikeouts.