May 19, 2005

Box Score

Rensselaer, Ind. - Grand Valley State scored in every inning but two and crawled out of an early deficit to claim a 13-4 decision over Wisconsin-Parkside in the opening game of the 2005 NCAA DII North Central Regional Tournament in Rensselaer, Indiana. The Lakers (32-14) will now face the winner of the St. Joseph's College-Wayne State contest Friday at 1 p.m.

Wisconsin-Parkside got the bats out early and scored three runs on four hits in the bottom of the first off GVSU starter Jeremy Dow. GVSU scored two unearned runs in the top of the second when freshman LF Pat Radde hit a sharp grounder that the Ranger second baseman could not handle, scoring C Nick Smith and 1B Chad Rohacs. Smith led off the inning with a single and Rohacs reached on an error by the third baseman. GVSU tied the game in the third when 2B Scott Smith walked and scored on a two-out triple by N. Smith. Rohacs opened the fourth with a single and Radde moved him second with a single to left. SS Ryan Lyster dropped a perfect bunt down the third base line to load the bases. S. Smith followed with a double to center to plate Rohacs and Radde and GVSU had its first lead of the game (5-3). Dow settled down as he allowed just one Ranger hit from the second through the seventh, but Laker bats continued to pound the baseball. Lyster reached on an error with one out in the sixth and S. Smith followed with a walk and 3B Scott Allen reached after being hit by a pitch. CF Brandon McFarland plated Lyster with a fielders choice and S. Smith came home on a balk to give the Lakers a 7-3 lead. GVSU broke the game wide open in the seventh with three runs on three hits. RF Nick Sandy greeted a UWP reliever with a double to rightcenter and he advanced to third on a balk. Rohacs walked and Sandy scored on a bunt single by DH Drew Wippich. Lyster scored Rohacs and Wippich with a single and GVSU led 10-3. GVSU added a single run in the eighth and two in the ninth. UW-Parkside scored its final run in the bottom of the eighth on three hits. Nate McCrory pitched a final hitless ninth for the Lakers.

Dow, who improved to 7-1 on the year, was stellar following a tough first inning. The junior righty allowed just four runs, three earned, on eight hits with seven strikeouts. N. Smith went 4-5 with two RBI and one run scored. Scott Smith was 1-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while Ryan Lyster was 2-4 with two RBIs. The Lakers pounded out 16 hits on the day as Scott Allen, Nick Sandy and Chad Rohacs each collected two hits.

GVSU improved to 17-5 in its last 22 games and 21-7 in its last last 28 postseason games the last three years.