Grand Valley State hit six home runs en route to a 22-6 GLIAC run-rule victory at Roosevelt Sunday afternoon to complete the four-game sweep. GVSU, 30-6 overall and 10-2 in GLIAC action, will stay on the road with a four-game set at Saginaw Valley State beginning Friday (April 17).
The Lakers scored in five of seven at bats, including 11 in the top of the seventh. 3B
Caleb Estrada reached on a throwing error in the top of the second and DH
Josh Fleming walked, followed by a 3-run home run to right center by LF
Caden Thelen. SS
Evan Morrison walked to open the third frame and RF
Ryan Stimac singled. 1B
Jovan Gill then hit a 3-run home run to right to give the Lakers a 6-1 lead. Estrada later scored on a Fleming single, and Fleming scored on a sac fly off the bat of C
Nick Krstich to up the GVSU lead to 8-1.
Roosevelt pulled to within 8-4 with three runs in the bottom of the third on soft contact singles and added a run in the bottom of the fourth before CF
Jake Skaggs saved runs with a diving catch for the third out with the bases loaded in the fourth.
Fleming hit a solo shot in the top of the fifth to push the GVSU lead to 9-5 and added a sacrifice fly to up the lead to 10-5 in the top of the sixth. Thelen added an RBI single for an 11-5 Laker lead.
2B
Kaden Howard doubled to open the seventh and Gill then hit his second-round tripper of the game, this a two-run shot to left. Skaggs doubled home Estrada who singled and Fleming unloaded with a two-run bomb to left to up the lead to 16-6. Thelen and Krstich walked before 2B
Ayden VanEnkevort hit another home run, this one to center for a 19-6 lead. Gill, Estrada and Skaggs all recorded RBI singles to up the lead to 22-6.
Ty Uchman started on the hill, yielding one run on two hits in 2.0 innings.
JJ Manion picked up the win, yielding just three hits in 2.0 innings of work.
Ethan Houghtaling and
Keagan Bobbitt each tossed an inning of relief.
Gill was 3-for-6 with six RBIs, two home runs and three runs scored, while Fleming was 3-for-3 with two home runs, five RBIs and four runs scored. Thelen was 4-for-4 with a double, home run and four RBI and VanEnkevort drove in three with a home run. Skaggs was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI, Stimac was 3-for-5 with two runs and Estrada was 4-for-5 with four runs and an RBI.