May 26, 2003

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Montgomery, Ala. - #13 Grand Valley State was down six runs with four innings left in their season, but instead of packing their bags for the trip back from Alabama, they decided to get the bats working. The Lakers pounded out nine hits in the last three innings to earn a 9-8 come from behind victory over #6 Slippery Rock and give GVSU their first ever win at the World Series. GVSU scored a lone run in the sixth but exploded for six more in the seventh to take a 7-6 lead. After adding two more in the eighth, the Lakers held on for the win as they recorded the last out with the tying run at second base. Grand Valley advances in the tournament and will play the loser of Tampa/Kennesaw State on Wednesday, May 28, at 7:30 pm EST.

Matt Rafeld started on the mound for GVSU and gave up four runs in the fourth, on four hits, two being infield singles. In the fifth, Rafeld gave up two unearned runs and The Rock staked a 6-0 lead.

The Lakers answered back with a run in the sixth as a Joe Mertes single got GVSU on the board. After Nick Bultema retired Slippery Rock in order, the Lakers continued the offensive attack. Mike McCallister reached on an error and scored on a Tony Pfennig double. After Kevin Boyd was hit by a pitch, Elijah Beckwith, Matt Wright, and Joe Mertes all singled to score three more runs. A bounce out by Jeremy Lundberg finished off the scoring to give GVSU a 7-6 lead.

The Lakers added two more runs in the eighth as a Beckwith single knocked in the final two runs of the game for GVSU. Joe Finnerty came in to finish the game and after allowing two runs, got the final out to earn his eighth save of the season.

Bultema earned the victory on the mound to improve to 4-2 as he allowed only one hit in 3.1 innings and struck out two. Mertes posted three hits and two RBI, while Beckwith posted two RBI, two runs, and two hits. Wright recorded two doubles, an RBI and a run.

The Lakers are 41-13-1 on the season, while Slippery Rock finishes the season 48-12.