The Grand Rapids Community College baseball team has been on a roll as of late, winning five straight, including a successful trip to Sandusky, Ohio, where the Raiders won four of their five games played in the Buckeye State. The Raiders started the year 1-9 on their annual trip to the southern part of the country but have quickly boosted their record to 12-13, which includes a 6-1 conference record.
Game one vs. Mid Michigan College
The one and only loss of the road trip to Ohio came at the hands of the Mid Michigan College Lakers. The Raiders battled tough but ultimately surrendered a walkoff in the bottom of the seventh inning, losing the game 9-10. The Raiders offense was able to score in five out of the seven innings, which built a 5-0 lead, but an eight-run fourth inning by the Lakers was the difference maker in the ball game. Freshman outfielder Peter Heintz had a productive outing at the plate against MMC, going 3-4 and driving in two runs.
Game two vs. Bay College
The Raiders’ winning streak began against the Bay College Norse, winning the game 11-2. The Norse struck first with two runs in the first three innings, but from that point on, it was all GRCC, scoring 11 unanswered runs. Freshman pitcher Kyle O’Hearn picked up his first win of the season, tossing four innings and allowing just two hits while striking out nine Bay College batters. Freshman infielder Paul Cannon produced a three-hit game while picking up two RBIs. Freshman outfielder Jack Lockwood also knocked out his first home run of the season.
Game three vs. Alpena College
The first game on Saturday afternoon in Ohio for the Raiders was against Alpena College, with the Raiders being victorious, winning 8-1. Although the score ended in favor of GRCC, the game was much closer throughout the first four innings, with the score tied at one apiece. However, a dominant fifth inning by GRCC proved to be the difference in the game, as GRCC scored five in the inning to give them a 6-1 advantage before ultimately scoring two runs in the seventh inning to give them the 8-1 win. Freshman Kyler Larson pitched a complete game against Alpena, throwing seven innings and allowing just one unearned run to cross the plate. Sophomore Joey Hysell had three hits in four at-bats and drove in three runs for the Raiders.
Game four vs. Delta College
Similar to their game against Alpena, the Raiders’ game against Delta followed a similar pattern, with the game being close through the first four innings at 2-2 before GRCC scored five runs in the fifth inning. The Raiders surrendered a run in the top of the sixth inning to make the score 7-3 before GRCC scored another five runs in the bottom half of the frame, giving them a 12-3 score, which would end up as the final score of the contest. Sophomore pitcher Thano Klatt moved his record to a perfect 4-0, picking up the win against Delta with a stat line of five innings pitched, two earned runs and six strikeouts. Heintz had his second three-hit game of the road trip, going 3-3 with a triple and three RBIs.
Game five vs Muskegon Community College
The Raiders ended their trip to Ohio with their largest win, defeating Muskegon 10-0 in a game that ended in a mercy rule of five innings. The Raiders came out of the gate swinging, scoring six runs in the first inning and four runs in the second inning. Those runs were all the Raiders needed to secure the win against the Jayhawks. Freshman pitcher Case Hennip tossed five shutout innings, allowing only two hits while striking out nine batters in order to pick up his first win of the season. Sophomore infielder Xavier Allen hit a bases-clearing triple in the bottom of the first to pick up three RBIs.
Game six vs. Aquinas College JV
To wrap up their road trip, the Raiders didn’t have to travel too far, taking on Aquinas College JV at the Meijer Sports Complex in Rockford. The Raiders carried their winning ways into the game, taking down Aquinas 11-2. The game was scoreless through the first two innings, but the Raiders’ offense found a spark in the third inning, scoring three runs before adding another two runs in the fourth inning. Although they already held a 6-1 lead, the seventh inning was where the floodgates opened, as GRCC tagged along five more runs to increase their lead to 11-1 before Aquinas scored one run in the seventh, wrapping up the game at 11-2. Hysell went 2-4 with two RBIs while sophomore Walker Brockie picked up his second win of the season, allowing just one earned run while punching out five batters in five innings.
GRCC will look to carry their momentum into their series against Mid Michigan College who they’ll face at Belknap Park on Saturday for an afternoon double header at 1 and 3 p.m. before they finish the weekend against Alpena with a double header on Sunday, April 6.
