Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 Kentwood, MI - Grace Baseball hosted the Wright State University - Lake Campus Lakers (OH) over the weekend for four games on Friday and Saturday. Heading into the weekend, the Tigers were coming off a midweek win against Muskegon CC and hoping to continue that momentum into their home opening weekend.

Game 1

Before game one, the team honored the family of former player Joe Leavitt, who tragically passed away this fall in a car accident. Joe's dad, Mike, was happy to throw out the first pitch, and the family was presented with the last jersey that Joe pitched in at Kelloggwoods Park (a 9-5 win over Rochester Christian).

The first game of the weekend started off as a pitchers duel, with both pitchers striking out the side in the first inning. Freshman Colin Nelson had the ball for the Tigers and threw a very competitive 4.2 innings giving up three runs but only one earned to go along with 4 strikeouts. Matt Hoonhorst came in behind Nelson, throwing the last 2.1 innings. Three more runs were surrendered but the pair did enough to keep the game close. 

Offensively, the Tigers notched their first run of the ballgame in the third inning on an RBI ground ball from Reagan Mutschler that scored Dylan Thomas. The Tigers remained silent until in the bottom of the sixth where Damian Fernandez would score on an error by the Lakers. Dylan Thomas hit a solo homerun in the bottom of the seventh, but that was all Grace could muster, and the final score ended at 3-6. 

Game 2

This time around, the offense came alive early in the game. In the bottom of the third, the Tigers rallied for 6 runs all with two outs in the inning. Royce Freiburger and Damian Fernadez both belted homeruns in the inning. Freiburger crushed another homer in the fourth inning, and Reagan Mutschler came through with an RBI single in the sixth to give the Tigers their eigth run of the game. That would prove to be enough as Grace had a stellar effort from their starting pitcher. 

Brendan Bos got the game two start on the mound and he certainly took advantage of it. After giving up one run in the top of the first, Bos would fire four scoreless frames before running out of steam in the sixth inning and giving up a few runs. John Sanocki would escape the jam and finish the job from there, going 1.1 innings with a strikeout and 0 runs given up to pick up the save. Bos earned the win for his 5.2 inning, 8 strikeout performance.

Game 3

After a split on Friday, Grace had a chance to win the series if they swept on Saturday. Dylan Thomas wasted no time getting going, hitting a solo homerun in the first inning to put the Tigers up 1-0. Damian Fernadez scored on a wild pitch in the second to go up 2-0. Wright State responded with three runs of their own to regain the lead, but in the bottom of the fourth, Carter Willis took a fastball over the fence in right field for a three run go-ahead homerun that put the Tigers back on top 5-3. 

Freshman Mike Bontrager got the start for Grace, and threw 4.0 innings of 5-hit baseball, eventually handing the ball over to Kaleb Blaskowski once Grace took the lead. Blaskowski fired two scoreless innings and went to do it one more time and seal the deal in the top of seventh. After inducing a double play, the Tigers were one out away from a victory. In a soul crushing moment, the Laker cleanup hitter hit a game-tying two run homerun. Blaskowski struck out the next batter, and Grace had a chance to win it in the bottom of the seventh. However, the Tigers went down in order to send the game into extra innings. 

Senior Adam Pierce took the mound for the 8th. Two baserunners were allowed but Pierce was able to strike a man out and escape the inning with no damage done, giving the Tivers another chance to walk it off. Jared Garnaat reached on an infield single, and a throwing error advanced him to second base. That brought up Damian Fernandez, who ended up being the hero. After a tough at bat with several foul balls, Fernandez hit a ground ball to third base which went right under the fielder's glove. Garnaat never slowed down and came all the way around to score, and the Tigers won it 6-5 in extra innings. 

Game 4

After securing a series split, the team wasn't done yet. Unfortunately things did not start out as planned for Grace, and they surrendered three runs in the top of the first inning. However, after a bases clearing hit from Dale Westphal, and another RBI single from Ben Anderson, the boys bounced back with four runs of their own. The game went back and forth from there with several lead changes until the Tigers trailed 5-8 in the bottom of the fifth. Jared Garnaat started the inning with a homerun, which was followed up by an RBI double by Jaden Schoneman, and again by another RBI single by Ben Anderson, and all of the sudden the game was tied 8-8. After the Lakers took the lead in the top of the sixth from a bases loaded walk, it was up to Grace tio answer yet again, and indeed they did. Alex Bonnema lead off the inning with a line drive single to left, and after advancing on a missed pick off attempt, was brought around to score on a pinch-hit RBI single from AJ Scott. 

After Reagan Mutschler fired a scoreless top of the 7th, the score was 9-9 heading into the bottom of the 7th. The Tigers were hoping there was still some late game magic to be had in the weekend. Ben Anderson found his way on base with a two-strike single to right field. Aiden Pavlacka sacrificed him to second base, and all that was needed was a hit to drive him home. With two-outs, the stage was set for Senior Alex Bonnema to finish it right here. On a 2-0 fastball, Bonnema hit a towering fly ball to dead center field, and after giving chase to it the outfielder stopped and watched the ball carry over the fence. A two-run walkoff homerun for Alex Bonnema! The Tigers stormed home plate and after an exciting weekend, Grace took the series 3-1. 

Grace improves to a 5-2 record at home this year. The team will travel to Spring Arbor for two games this Wednesday, followed by another homestand this weekend against UC Clermont.