This Saturday the Purdue Northwest baseball continued their four-game series against Grand Valley State in a doubleheader event where the Pride would split the day dropping game one to the Lakers by a score of 9-3 and winning game two in an extra inning thriller by a core of 12-11.
The Basics
•   Records: Purdue Northwest (14-16), Grand Valley (17-16)
•   Location: Allendale, Michigan
•   GLIAC Doubleheader
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GAME ONE, L - (12-11)
The Breakdown
- Cole Olson (Stanton, Mich./Central Montcalm) would lead the pride with four hits and three RBIs.
- Drake Ballard (Louisville, Ky./Martha Laynes Collins) would also contribute three hits and an RBI.
- Blake Newell (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) started on the mound for Purdue Northwest throwing four innings and striking out two.
- N. Logan led GVSU with one hit and four RBIs.
- S. Leck started and threw four innings, striking out five for the Lakers.
- The Pride grabbed an early lead in the 1st inning when A. Johnson scored on a passed ball, giving them a 1-0 advantage.
- Grand Valley quickly turned the tables in the bottom of the 1st inning, with R. Dykstra scoring on a fielder's choice, tying the game at 1-1. K. Nott then scored on a sacrifice fly by N. Logan, putting Grand Valley ahead 2-1.
- Grand Valley extended their lead in the 2nd inning as M. Graybill crossed the plate on a single by A. Vanenkevo, making it 3-1.
- In the 3rd inning, Grand Valley capitalized on errors and timely hitting, scoring three more runs to stretch their lead to 5-1.
- The pride managed to narrow the gap in the 4th inning with J. Smith's RBI single, bringing the score to 5-2.
- Grand Valley's N. Logan further extended their lead in the 5th inning with a solo home run, increasing the lead to 6-2.
- The Pride showed resilience in the 6th inning, as H. Matulich scored on D. Puplava's RBI double, reducing the deficit to 6-3.
- However, Grand Valley pulled away in the bottom of the 6th inning, scoring three more runs with timely hits and taking advantage of the Prides mistakes, making it 9-3 to close out the game.
GAME TWO, W - (12-11)
The Breakdown
- Aden Johnson () would lead the pride with two hits.
- Dan Puplava () and Jayden Smith (Allegan, Mich./Allegan) would each contribute a hit and an RBI.
- Conor Pangburn (St. John, Ind./Lake Central) started on the mound for Purdue Northwest throwing three innings and striking out four.
- R. Dykstra led GVSU with one hit and four RBIs.
- M. Morawski started and threw four innings, striking out eight for the Lakers.
- Grand Valley started the game with a strong offensive push, scoring a run in the first inning as K. Nott capitalized on a wild pitch to cross home plate.
- Despite Grand Virginia's early lead, the Pride quickly bounced back in the fourth inning. Exploiting defensive errors from Grand Valley, the Pride capitalized with a barrage of unearned runs, tallying five in total and seizing a 6-3 lead.
- Building on their momentum, the Pride continued to pile on runs in the fifth and seventh innings, extending their lead to 10-6 with clutch hits and strategic baserunning.
- Facing a significant deficit, Grand Valley refused to back down. In the eighth inning, they mounted a spirited comeback, narrowing the gap to 11-8 with timely hits and aggressive baserunning.
- With the game on the line, Grand Valley staged a remarkable rally in the ninth inning. GVSU delivered a clutch hit, driving in three runs and tying the game at 11-11, sending the contest into extra innings.
- In the decisive tenth inning, the Pride regained their composure and managed to score a crucial run, retaking the lead at 12-11.
- The Pride held on to secure the victory in a nail-biting finish, clinching the win with a final score of 12-11.
Up Next
The Pride next hit the field on April 14
th to conclude the four-game series against Grand Valley State in a lone nine inning contest in Allendale, Michigan. Game time is set for 11:00 PM CT.
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