Game 1 - Grand Valley State 2 Wayne State 0

Game 2 - Wayne State 5 Grand Valley State 2

            Wayne State and Grand Valley State of Michigan split a college baseball doubleheader Sunday on the Wildcats' final day at the RussMatt Invitational in Leesburg, Florida as the Lakers captured a 2-0 win in the opener followed by a 5-2 Wildcat win in the second game to earn a split.  WSC is now 6-7 on the year while GVSU is now 8-4.
            The opener saw Grand Valley State starter Austin Brown fire a two-hit shutout while striking out eight Wildcats in a 2-0 win for the Lakers.  Wayne State pitchers Jackson Shelburne and Andrew Staebell were equally as impressive holding GVSU to just five hits and two runs in the contest with six combined strikeouts.
            The Lakers scored runs in the first and seventh innings in the win. 
            Wayne State's Chase Douglas led off the bottom of the first with a single and was left stranded at third base.
            The Wildcats put two runners on in the sixth with a walk and hit batter but could not score and left two runners on in the seventh as Noah Roberts opened the frame with a single to second while Conner Fiene reached on an error with just one out, but the 'Cats could not get the key hit as a fly out and fielder's choice ended the scoring threat and the game.
            GVSU had five hits to just two for the Wildcats.  Douglas and Roberts each singled for WSC.
            Shelburne (1-2) was the hard luck loser in the contest allowing just one run in five innings of work on four hits and five strikeouts.  Lefthander Andrew Staebell pitched the final two innings and was charged with an unearned run on one hit and one strikeout.
            The second game saw the Wildcats bounce back as Fiene went 4 for 4 with a pair of RBI while Cade Herrmann and Josh Renken combined to hold the Lakers to four hits in a 5-2 Wildcat victory.
            Wayne State jumped out early with a three-run first inning to take control early.  Alex Logelin singled and scored on a Noah Roberts fielder's choice for the first Wildcat run.  Nick Barnett singled to bring home Colin Lynam (single) with the second WSC run while Roberts scored on a RBI double from Fiene for the third run of the inning.
            After Grand Valley State scored in the bottom of the third to make the score 3-1, WSC got the run back in the top of sixth inning to take a 4-1 advantage.  With two outs and no runners on base, Douglas walked and crossed home plate on a Logelin double to right field.
            The Lakers cut the WSC lead to 4-2 with a run in the bottom of the sixth but the 'Cats got the run back in the top of the seventh with another two out rally when Garrett Svoboda walked, stole second and scored on a Fiene single to cap the scoring.
            Fiene, Logelin and Lynam combined for nine of Wayne State's 10 hits in the win.  Fiene went 4 for 4 with a double and two RBI, Logelin was 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and Lynam was 2 for 4 with a pair of singles and one run scored.
            Junior starter Cade Herrmann (1-1) collected the pitching win, allowing just two runs (one earned) on three hits in 5 1/3 innings with five strikeouts and five walks.  Reliever Josh Renken recorded a save working 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, giving up just one hit to shut down the Lakers late.
            Wayne State is scheduled to open Northern Sun Conference play at home on Saturday hosting Southwest Minnesota State in a 1:30 p.m. doubleheader at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex.