April 6, 2007

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

Oakland City, Ind. - GVSU got off to a slow start Friday afternoon in its non-conference doubleheader at Oakland City, Ind. claiming a 3-0 game one win before the bats came to life for a 20-0 game two win. Senior Vince Rizzi went the distance in game one giving up just three hits for his GLIAC-leading fifth win of the year. Four pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter in game two as the Laker bats came to life for the 20-0 game two win. The Lakers and Mighty Oaks will meet in a single nine inning game tomorrow (Sat., Apr. 7) at 12 pm in Oakland City, Ind.

The Lakers scored an early run in the top of the first when SS Dan Skirka led off the game with a single to right field and then moved to second on a walk issued to 3B Lee VanStreain. 2B Spud McKenzie would follow with a bunt single to load the bases for RF Derek Hinke who hit a ball to center field deep enough to score Skirka from third to give GVSU an early 1-0 lead. The Lakers would advance runners to third in the third and fourth innings but came away empty as they were unable to come up a key hit.

Skirka got things going again in the fifth with a one out single up the middle and then moved to third on a double that was laced to left field by VanStreain. Another sacrifice fly, this time by McKenzie, scored Skirka from third for the 2-0 lead. Hinke would step to the plate next as he tallied his second RBI of the game with a single to left center. The run support was all starter Vince Rizzi would need as he did not allow a runner past second base on the afternoon allowing just three hits, a pair of walks with five strikeouts.

Game two was a different story for the Lakers as they scored 20 runs, including 14 in the opening two innings, and four pitchers combined for a no-hitter. Skirka led off game two with his team-high fifth triple of the season down the right field line. He would score on the next play as VanStreain doubled him in from third. McKenzie kept things going with a double of his own to plate VanStreain and give GVSU a 2-0 lead. Hinke would add his third RBI of the day with another sacrifice fly and DH Brad Raj would tack on a sacrifice fly of his own later in the inning. GVSU pounded out six hits and took advantage of five walks and a Mighty Oak error to score 10 runs in the second inning. Hinke picked up an RBI double, CF Pat Radde added a sacrifice fly, 1B Cory Maguire laced a two run triple before Raj singled in his second run of the game. McKenzie picked up his second and third RBIs of the game with a two run single down the left field line before C Nick Smith was issued a bases loaded walk for an RBI. Radde followed with his second RBI of the inning, this time a single to score McKenzie.

Back-to-back singles by Raj and LF Matt Nickels led off the third inning before Skirka drove a pitch over the fence for a three run home run to give GVSU a 17-0 lead. Two batters later, McKenzie would drill his GLIAC-leading seventh home run of the season for the 18-0 advantage. The Lakers would tack on a single run in the fifth and the seventh with RBI singles by RF Jesse Barfelz and C Josh Hargreaves.

Junior Nick Beach started the contest for the Lakers setting down the first two batters before hitting 1B Shanon Miller, Beach would set the next batter down with a fly out to get out of the inning. Miller would be the only base runner the Mighty Oaks would have in the second game as four pitchers combined for a no-hitter. Beach went four innings striking out five for his fourth win of the year. Beach was followed on the mound by sophomore Eric Snyder who threw a perfect fifth inning with a pair of groundouts and a foul fly. Sophomore Aaron Melucci took to the mound in the sixth setting down the first batter on a fly ball before ringing up back-to-back strikeouts. Closer David Bowman finished off the no-no with a strikeout looking, a groundout to short and another strikeout to end the game.

Spud McKenzie led the Laker offense going 6-7 with four runs scored and five RBIs in the doubleheader sweep. Derek Hinke added four RBIs in the game as Lee VanStreain improved on his GLIAC lead in runs scored by crossing the plate four times in the twinbill. Dan Skirka went 5-9 with six runs scored and three RBIs with a triple and a home run on the day.

The Lakers and Mighty Oaks will meet again tomorrow (Sat., Apr. 6) at 12 pm in Oakland City to wrap up the three game series with a single nine inning contest.