Grand Valley State University Athletics

Grand Valley State dropped the opening game of the NCAA Midwest Super Regional to Indianapolis Friday afternoon by a 6-5 score in Allendale. Indianapolis leads the best of three series 1-0 and is one win from the NCAA DII World Series in Cary, N.C. Game two of the series will be played Friday at 2 p.m.

Indianapolis struck first with four runs in the top of the second, two of which were earned, off starter Collin Bradley. The Lakers were able to get one run back with a solo home run to left from DH Josh Fleming. The Greyhounds pushed single runs across in the fourth and sixth innings to take a 6-1 lead, but Fleming struck again, this a 3-run bomb to left after RF Ryan Stimac singled and C Noah Brandt walked. 

The Lakers scored one in the bottom of the eighth, but left the bases loaded to end the inning. Stimac walked, Brandt singled and Fleming singled to load the bases. CF Jake Skaggs hit a sacrfice fly to left to plate Stimac, but that is all the Lakers would score. The bottom of the ninth inning started with 1B Jovan Gill and 3B Caleb Estrada singles and Stimac was hit by a pitch to load the bases. However, a shot fly out to left was followed by back-to-back strikeouts and the Lakers were unable to push across a run. GVSU left 12 on base during the afternoon affair, including four on third base. The Lakers outhit the Greyhounds 11-8, but Indianapolis came through with three hits when they had runners in scoring position. 

Bradley (11-1) took the loss, yielding five runs, three of which were earned, on six hits, and four walks in five innings. JJ Manion was sensational in relief, yielding just one run on two hits with three strikeouts in four innings of work. 

Fleming was 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI, while Morrison and Gill were each 2-for-5. VanEnkevort, Estrada, Stimac and Brandt each produced a hit.