PNW Baseball Sweeps Grand Valley State Friday
ALLENDALE, Mich. — The Purdue University Northwest baseball team swept both games of a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader on the road against Grand Valley State in two close contests. The Pride defeated the Lakers in game 1, 4-3, before winning the second game, 5-4.
GAME 1: PNW 4, GV 3
Ray Hilbrich (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) started the scoring with an RBI single to left center which scored Austin Kordik (West Chicago, Ill./Community) to make it 1-0.
Couple innings later, Anthony Agne (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring Kordik to make it 2-0. In the bottom half of the fifth inning, GV would tie the score with a two-run double.
In the eighth inning, PNW would regain the lead with a single by Hilbrich which scored John Cory (Lowell, Ind./Lowell) then after a Lakers miscue it made Hunter Thorn (Portage, Ind./Portage) to make it 4-2.
Justin Walter (Elkart, Ind./Elkart Memorial) came in the bottom of the eighth to try to record the save. Walter ran into some trouble in the inning as GV rallied to get one run back but was able to get the last out to pick up his second save of the season as the Pride won 4-3.
Brandon Haczynski (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) picked up the victory on the mound (5-2). The sophomore went seven innings, scattering six hits, allowing two runs, issuing two walks and striking out three.
GAME 2: PNW 5, GV 4
PNW started off the scoring again the second game, adding three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Agne was able to connect on his first home run of the season, scoring Michael Woods (Elk Grove, Ill./Elk Grove) and Hilbrich.
The Lakers got one back in the bottom of the frame after a wild pitch to make it 3-1.
The Pride responded with two runs in the top of the seventh inning. Kordik made it 4-1 after hitting into a sacrifice fly which scored Cory.
Kevin McCune (Munster, Ind./Andrean) hit a suicide squeeze that scored Thorn to make it 5-1.
GV tried to rally again in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Lakers hit a three-run home run as the Pride still led 5-4 and that score would hold with PNW coming out on top.
Alex Batistatos (Hobart, Ind./Hobart) came in to record the final four outs. The junior did just that and did not allow a hit or a run and struck out two.
Kyle Flessner (Thomasboro, Ill./Rantoul Township) recorded the win on the mound (3-4), after going six innings, allowing four hits, giving up one run, issuing a walk and striking out four.
PNW and GV resumes and concludes their series Saturday, April 27 for a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. CT.
