May 2, 2003

Box Score

Bay City, Mich. - #6 Grand Valley State fell behind early in first round action of the GLIAC Tournament but scored four times in the fifth inning to earn a 6-5 win over Ferri State. The Bulldogs posted leads of 4-1 and 5-2 but the Lakers kept fighting to advance. Senior Bobbi Conner closed out the four-run fifth inning with a two-run blast to give the Lakers the final margin of victory. GVSU improves to 43-4 on the year and will play Findlay in the second round at 5:00 pm at Bay City's Veteran Memorial Park.

The Lakers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first on Jennifer Goldschmeding's seventh home run of the year. FSU was the next team to get on the board as they knocked out five hits, and posted three runs in the top of the third. The Bulldogs added another run on two hits and a double steal in the fourth to up the lead to three.

GVSU responded with a run in their half of the fourth on a RBI single by Rachel Blain. The Lakers had a chance to add a couple more with the bases loaded and one out but FSU got out of the jam.

After the Bulldogs upped the lead to 5-2 on an solo home run by Amanda Oproek in the top of the fifth, the Laker bats caught fire. Tara Marsh and Lindsay Crawford reached base on an error and walked. Two consecutive wild pitches scored Marsh and moved Crawford to third. Goldschmeding followed with a double down the left field line. After another wild pitch moved Goldschmeding to third, FSU retired the next two Laker batters to get to Conner. Conner fouled several pitches off before hitting the game-winner over the left field fence.

Jennifer Mackson picked up the win to improve to 24-2 on the season, as she struck out seven.