CRESTWOOD – Roosevelt could not overcome a slow start offensively Friday in a 21-9 loss to No. 10 Grand Valley State to kick off a four-game Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference series at Ozinga Field in Crestwood.
The visitors put up five runs in the first inning while the Lakers (9-24, 0-9 GLIAC) had just one hit in the first three frames. Roosevelt also had the challenge of facing Grand Valley State's best pitcher, who entered the game having allowed just two runs in his previous four starts. Yet, the Lakers managed the best offensive performance of the season against Collin Bradley, forcing the GVSU ace to pitch just five innings while allowing a season-high three runs.
The offense began in the fourth inning with the 10th-ranked Lakers already ahead 7-0. Ian Bagaconza led off with a walk then Alejandro Munoz and Tyler Ruete followed with consecutive singles. It was Ruete's single up the middle that allowed Bagaconza to come around to score from second for Roosevelt's first run of the game.
Roosevelt added two more runs in the fifth as the Lakers began to get their read on Bradley. Maxwell Bowers singled and Bagaconza followed up with a double that allowed Quinn O'Bryan to score. Two batters later, Bradley uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Bowers to scamper home while Bagaconza moved up 90 feet.
Grand Valley State built its lead up to 14-3 entering the bottom of the seventh, but the Lakers responded again to close the deficit. Bowers smashed a single into center field then Bagaconza was hit by a pitch to put the first two batters of the inning on base. A wild pitch from a GVSU reliever allowed both to move up a bag before a passed ball scored Bowers. CJ Chalk then delivered the game-extending sacrifice fly that brought the Lakers inside the run rule.
However, Grand Valley State added a touchdown of runs in the eighth before Roosevelt scored four more runs to end the ninth on a semi-high note. Arturo Roldan began the ninth with a four-pitch walk and came around to score on a wild pitch. A second wild pitch scored Munoz after he singled in the frame then Adam Klaybor knocked a two-run single up the middle to cap the scoring.
Kevin Schroer and Parker Pannell both threw 1.1 innings of no-hit ball in relief and were the only two Roosevelt pitchers to not allow a run in the game. Schroer struck out one and hit a batter among the five hitters he faced while Pannell was perfect in his four batters with a strikeout and three flyouts.
UP NEXT: The battle of the Lakers continues Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. at Ozinga Field.
