Heading into the slate of games in early March, the Grand Rapids Community College baseball team won four straight games and held a 5-8 record.
On Sunday, March 10, both games of the GRCC baseball team’s doubleheader against Edison State Community Community were canceled.
After the cancellation, GRCC faced Davenport University’s Junior Varsity team on Tuesday, March 12, at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex in Caledonia. The Raiders cruised to an 18-6 final over the Panthers in a nine-inning game.
Days later, on Friday, March 15, the Raiders took on Kalamazoo Valley Community College, which would be the start of a four-game weekend away and home doubleheader series against the Cougars. The Raiders, also playing this game at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex, took down the Cougars 10-1. Later that day the Raiders fell to the Cougars 4-3 in a home game played at Belknap Park in Grand Rapids.
On Saturday, March 16, the Raiders continued their series against the Cougars, this time at Cougars Field in Texas Township. The Raiders blew out the Cougars 13-0. Later that Saturday, the Raiders played the Cougars for the fourth time, once again in Texas Township, beating the Cougars 4-1.
On Tuesday, March 19, the Raiders faced Aquinas College JV at the Meijer Sports Complex in Rockford. GRCC demolished Aquinas 19-3 in nine innings.
“…Team’s looking good and starting to find the ball a lot, and I can’t wait to get in conference play,” said sophomore outfield/pitcher Aaron Bess.
When asked how he feels about the beginning of the season, Bess explained, “I’m feeling pretty good. I can’t wait to get in the season with this team. I think we have a lot of potential to go pretty far in the playoffs”
So far this season, the Raiders season leaders include:
- Freshman infielder/catcher, Joey Hysell, leads the team with a .389 batting average, a 1.133 on-base percentage, three runs, 14 hits, five doubles, one home run and 12 runs batted in.
- Sophomore pitcher, Lucas McKinney, leads the team with a 4.98 earned run average, a 1.20 WHIP (wins, hits, innings pitched) average, a 2-1 record, 21.2 innings pitched, 16 hits allowed, 16 runs, 12 earned runs, 10 base on balls, 18 strikeouts, three doubles, and two home runs.
Now 10-9 (0-0 in the conference), the Raiders will play a four-game doubleheader away weekend series against Elgin Community College, on March 22, at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., and March 23, 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. in Elgin, Illinois.
Collegiate Editor-in-Chief Blace Carpenter contributed to this story
