CRESTWOOD – Jack Hoh unleashed a no-doubt grand slam to left field to lift Roosevelt to a 17-12 win over Purdue Northwest to start their four-game Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference series at Ozinga Field.

Hoh, a junior from Frankfort, broke an 8-8 deadlock with one swing of the bat, blasting the pitch to the parking lot behind the left-field wall. It is a lead the Lakers (8-29, 2-15 GLIAC) would not relinquish as they snapped a 13-game losing skid overall and a 15-game drought in GLIAC action. Hoh finished the day 2 for 3 with six RBIs and two runs scored.

Although the momentum continued to swing between both teams, Roosevelt only trailed for a brief period in the game. The Lakers opened the scoring in the second inning when Quinn O'Bryan placed his single perfectly between the third baseman and shortstop to allow Sebastian Casillas to score from second base. Roosevelt added two more runs in the third with Luke Ulbert and Jack Kieffer hitting consecutive RBI doubles.

Omar Abuehija faced the minimum through three innings after his spectacular diving catch on a bunt that was popped into the air in the third inning gave him enough time to roll over and fire to first for a double play. Even after the Pride tied the game in the fourth inning, Abuelhija buckled down to get the final two outs of the frame.

Roosevelt was back on the offensive in the bottom of the fourth inning, this time doing all of its damage with two outs. Three straight walks loaded the bases before the umpires ushered everyone off the field for a brief 18-minute rain delay. When play resumed, Kekoa Ogawa hit an infield single to score a run then a passed ball allowed a second Lakers run to cross the plate.

Purdue Northwest was able to tie the game again in the top of the fifth, and once again Roosevelt had an answer in the bottom half. This time, Casillas was able to reach second then advance to third on a poor throw from the shortstop after O'Bryan hit a grounder. Hoh laid down a well-executed squeeze bunt that allowed Casillas to score and give Roosevelt a 6-5 lead.

The Lakers' only deficit came in the top of the sixth when the Pride took advantage of a pair of errors on the same play to extend the inning and score three runs. James Berry, who extended his hitting streak to 25 games earlier in the contest, hit a single then Ulbert added another one before Jack Kieffer loaded the bases by legging out a grounder on a fielder's choice.

Casillas tied the game at eight with a two-run single through the right side of the infield then took full advantage of a misplay in right field to move up to second base. After a pitching change for Purdue Northwest, Kyle Jannenga walked to set up Hoh's grand slam that broke open the contest.

O'Bryan worked a bases-loaded walk in the seventh inning to make it 13-9 and Hoh followed with a poorly-hit dink that left the Pride pitcher with no play as another run scored. Purdue Northwest again put pressure on the Lakers by scoring two in the top of the eighth, but Roosevelt put more distance between the teams in the bottom of the frame.

An infield single from Casillas allowed Nolan Boettcher to score after he recorded his first hit of the season earlier in the inning. Jannenga then hit a sky-high ball to right field that fell between three Pride fielders, allowing two runs to score on a two-out double.

Roosevelt finished the game with a 16-14 advantage in hits as nine of the 10 players with plate appearances were able to get at least one hit and nine different runners scored a run in the contest for the Lakers.

UP NEXT: The Lakers and Pride continue their series Friday at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader at Ozinga Field.