#7 Grand Valley State swept a Saturday GLIAC doubleheader from Davenport, winning game one 13-4 and game two 4-1. The Lakers, 36-8 overall and 15-4 in GLIAC action, will square off against the Panthers Sunday in the series finale beginning at 12 noon.
Game 1
Dominant pitching and timely hitting were the recipe for success in game 1. Senior SS
Evan Morrison got the offense rolling on the first pitch he saw with a triple to right center. RF
Ryan Stimac delivered a sacrifice fly, and the Lakers had a 1-0 lead three pitches into the game. GVSU exploded for seven runs on seven hits in the bottom of the fourth to break the game open. Stimac doubled, went to third on an errant pick-off attempt and scored on a
Jovan Gill sacrifice fly. 3B
Caleb Estrada hit a solo home run over the scoreboard, his GLIAC leading 13
th of the year. Freshman DH
Josh Fleming singled and the GVSU offense put together four consecutive singles with two outs. 2B
Ayden VanEnkevort and C
Nick Krstich singled, followed by a
Nolan Alvord two-RBI single to left. Morrison drove in two runs, stole third base and scoring on a throwing error.
GVSU added five runs in the bottom of the sixth on three hits. CF
Jake Skaggs reached on an error and Alvord walked. Krstich came through with a sac bunt and Morrison singled in a run to center. Gill added a 2-RBI single and Stimac, who reached when hit by a pitch, scored on a wild pitch. Estrada drove in the final run with a single to right.
Junior pitcher
Owen Avery, who improved to 7-1 on the year, was spectacular on the hill, yielding just two earned runs and three hits in 6.1 innings. Avery struck out the side in the first inning on 11 pitches to set the tone en route to six strikeouts.
Edward Konow got the final two outs. Morrison was 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored, while Gill was 1-for-3 with three RBI. Estrada was 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Alvord was 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Game 2
Freshman pitcher
Jackson Kees (8-1) was sensational on the mound for the Lakers, yielding just one run on five hits with six strikeouts in 7.0 innings of work. Junior
Zach Warren picked up his second save of the year with two innings of hitless mound work with two strikeouts.
Davenport led 1-0, but GVSU tied the game with a run in the bottom of the third. Stimac reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and scored on a two-out single to right off the bat of Estrada. The Lakers pushed across three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on two hits. Freshman catcher
Noah Brandt led off the inning with a double and 2B
Ayden VanEnkevort was hit by a pitch with one out. Stimac plated two runs with a single to right and Alvord, who was running for Stimac, scored from first on a dropped fly ball to short center.
Stimac was 1-for-3 with two RBI, while Gill was 2-for-4 and LF
Will Bowen was 2-for-4. Brandt was 1-for-4 with a run scored and Morrison was 1-for-4 with a run scored.
