May 29, 2005

Box Score

Montgomery, Alabama - West Virginia State used a seven-run fourth inning to turn a 3-1 defecit into an 8-3 lead and went on to claim an 8-6 victory over Grand Valley State in the Lakers' opening round game of the 2005 NCAA DII World Series in Montgomery, Alabama. GVSU will now face to loser of the second game Sunday between North Florida and Southern Connecticut State Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.

The Lakers got rolling early as 2B Scott Smith singled deep to short on the first pitch of the game. 3B Scott Allen followed with a single to right and Smith moved to third. CF Brandon McFarland recorded the Lakers third straight hit to score S. Smith from third. C Nick Smith reached on a throwing error to load the bases. RF Nick Sandy reached on a fielder's choice to plate the Lakers' second run, but 1B Chad Rohacs struck out and Sandy was caught stealing to end the Laker half of the first. The Yellow Jackets' Josh Miller greeted Lakers starter Grant Payton with a solo home run to left on Payton's second pitch of the game, but Payton dealt three straight groudouts to Rohacs to end the inning. The Lakers scored an unearned run in the second when Ryan Lyster singled with two outs and then scored on a single to center by S. Smith that the centerfielder misplayed and allowed Lyster to score. West Virginia State broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth with seven runs on six hits. GVSU starter Grant Payton was lifted with two outs in the bottom of the fourth after yielding the seven runs. Relief pitcher Nathan McCrory got the final out of the inning and then tossed three more innings of two baseball.

The Lakers missed a golden opportunity in the sixth when they loaded the bases with no outs, but West Virginia State was able to get out of the inning with just one run crossing the plate. Sandy singled followed by a Rohacs walk and DH Drew Wippich reached on catchers interference. LF Pat Radde reached on a fielder's choice to score Sandy and pull GVSU to within four (8-4). However, SS Ryan Lyster's sharp grounder was fielded by the YellowJackets third baseman and he threw home to get Rohacs for the second out of the inning. S. Smith then struck out to end the inning with Radde and Lyster on second and third. GVSU was able to pull to within two with two runs (8-6) in the top of the ninth on two hit. Rohacs came through with a two out single with the bases load, but Nate Secor struck out for the final out of the game.

S. Smith led the way for GVSU with a 3-5 outing and two runs scored. McFarland and Sandy each collected a pair of hits and Rohacs drove in two on his single in the ninth. The Lakers outhit the YellowJackets 11-10, but WVSU came through in the key fourth with clutch hitting. Grant Payton took the loss and fell to 9-4 on the year. Sean McLeod recorded the final four outs for the Lakers. GVSU falls to 34-16 on the year.