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 Bob Schmidt hit his first home run of the season in Saturday's 10-9 loss at GVSU. |
April 14, 2007
ALLENDALE, Mich. - In a back-and-forth game that saw nine lead changes, the Wayne State baseball team succumbed to fifth-ranked Grand Valley State, 10-9, in eight innings in the second game of Saturday afternoon's doubleheader.
Two costly Wayne State errors in the bottom of the eighth inning produced the tying and winning runs for Grand Valley State just moments after Bob Schmidt's (Oxford, Mich.) solo home run in the top of the frame gave the Warriors a 9-8 lead.
Wayne State is winless in its last eight meetings with GVSU dating back to 2005 and in its last four games to go to extra innings this season.
Tony Hines (Detroit, Mich./Mumford) and Ryan LaPensee (LaSalle, Ont./St. Thomas of Villanova) led the Warrior offense with three hits and two runs apiece. Jon Weisman (Woodhaven, Mich.) also contributed with his GLIAC-leading ninth home run of the season.
After a walk to Scott Martin (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) and a double by Hines, a groundout by Derek Ranck (Clarkston, Mich.) and a double by LaPensee plated both runners and put the Warriors ahead, 2-0, in the first inning.
The teams exchanged three-run frames over the next three innings.
Down 3-2 in the third, Martin and Hines were hit by pitches to lead off the inning. Ranck later brought in Martin on a groundout, and a two-run blast to left by Weisman scored Hines to give the Warriors a 5-3 advantage.
The Lakers responded with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the fourth, putting the Warriors in a 6-5 hole until a bases-loaded walk to Matthew Williams (Detroit, Mich./Royal Oak Shrine) sent LaPensee home to tie the game in the top of the fifth.
After Grand Valley tied the score at six in the bottom of the inning, Ranck came in on a bases-loaded wild pitch and Schmidt gave the Warriors a two-run lead following a sacrifice fly that plated LaPensee.
Justin Mazur (Macomb, Mich./De La Salle) pitched a scoreless frame in the bottom of the sixth, relieving starter Dan Barnes (Grand Ledge, Mich.) who surrendered seven runs (six earned) on eight hits over five innings, walking two and striking out three.
In the seventh, however, the Lakers tied the game again with an RBI double off Kevin Kadrofske (Roseville, Mich./Lutheran East), who took the loss (0-1). Schmidt's solo shot to left gave the Warriors late life, but the Lakers capitalized on WSU's fielding miscues to get the win.
Wayne State will play another twinbill at Grand Valley State tomorrow beginning at noon.
