On Tuesday, April 16, the Grand Rapids Community College Raiders baseball team was defeated by the Aquinas College Saints junior varsity team in a nine-inning game at Belknap Park. The Raiders’ 6-2 loss was their first loss in more than 30 days.
GRCC freshman left-handed pitcher Andrew Pohlmann got the start for the Raiders, pitching three innings, throwing two strikeouts, and giving up two hits and one run. Pohlmann is now 0-2 this season in his starts. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Caleb Kuiper took over for Pohlmann in the fourth inning, pitching two innings, throwing one strikeout and giving up four hits, on three runs and one walk. Freshman right-handed pitcher Logan VanSurksum took over for Kuiper in the sixth inning, pitching one inning and throwing one strikeout. GRCC redshirt freshman and left-handed pitcher Isaac Stetler took over for VanSurksum in the seventh inning, pitching three innings, throwing one strikeout and giving up three hits and two runs.
In the scoring department, after trailing 6-0 to the Saints, in the eighth inning, GRCC got on the board for the first time thanks to a single by freshman first baseman Jacob Pitt which allowed freshman third baseman Xavier Allen to score. Also in the eighth inning, a double by freshman designated hitter Joey Hysell allowed Pitt to score GRCC’s second run. Unfortunately, that would be the only two runs the Raiders would score as they ended up falling 6-2 to the Saints.
In their next matchup, now 23-10, 12-0 in the conference, GRCC faces Alpena Community College in a four-game doubleheader series on Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20. All games of the doubleheader will be at Veterans Field (known as the Lumberyard) along US-23 South in Ossineke. The games on Friday will be played at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and Saturday’s games will be played at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
