Auburndale, Fla. -- The warm weather and sunshine in Florida certainly work its magic on the Grand Valley State baseball team's bats on Monday (March 2) night. The No. 16 Lakers tallied 14 hits—five were extra-base hits—and drew six walks in their season-opening 13-12 victory over Gannon at Lake Myrtle Park.
 
It did not take long at all for GVSU to heat up. Senior outfielder Mike Nadratowski led off the first inning with a walk. Shortly thereafter he stole second base and eventually came around to score, thanks to a sacrifice fly by fellow senior Kevin Zak.
 
This was only the beginning of an offensive outburst. And the Lakers would need every run.
 
Senior starting pitcher Aaron Jensen struck out four of the first seven batters he faced, but gave up two runs in the bottom half of the second. He was charged with three of Gannon's five runs the following inning as well, leading to an early departure.
 
Prior to the Golden Knights' five spot, GVSU put five runs of its own on the board. Nadratowski got things started with a wicked chopper down the first baseline that turned into a double. After junior outfielder Taylor Huebner was hit by a pitch, Zak drove a 1-2 pitch to left field, brining Nadratowski home for a second consecutive time. A past ball moved Zak and Huebner into scoring position for senior outfielder Jamie Potts, who dropped a blooper into center field for a two-RBI single. Potts would later score on an error. Junior first baseman Josh Griffith drove in the final run of the inning with a sacrifice fly.
 
Gannon would add another run in the bottom of the fourth, building an 8-6 lead and knocking out Jensen and senior starting pitcher Evan Nietfeldt in just three combined innings.
 
Freshman Mitch Ashcraft provided the pitching stability GVSU needed. The Ada, Michigan native yielded just two hits in 4.2 scoreless innings of work.
 
With Ashcraft cruising on the mound, the Laker bats stayed hot after a quiet fourth inning. A two-out single to left by junior catcher John McLaughlin extended the inning for Nadratowski. He did not disappoint. Nadratowski laced a double to right field, driving in Abel and McLaughlin, and tying the game at 8-8.
 
GVSU took a one-run lead the very next inning, when redshirt senior second baseman Jesse Abel lifted a 3-1 pitch well over the left field fence for a solo home run.
 
The Lakers scored what appeared to be four insurance runs in their final two innings. Senior third baseman Aaron Overbeck drove in one with a double in the eighth. Griffith notched his second RBI with a single just one batter later. Once again, Nadratowski started a rally with a walk. He eventually stole two bases, one of which forced a high throw from the catcher and allowed him to score a run. Potts drove in GVSU's final run with a triple to left.
 
But Gannon did not go away. In fact, it had the tying run at first and winning run at the plate with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Enter sophomore pitcher Matt Williams. The hard-throwing righty induced a pair of groundouts in just three pitches. Still, the tying run stood just 90 feet from home with one out to go. Williams mowed down Gannon's final batter with three straight fastballs, sealing the GVSU victory.
 
Ashcraft was credited with the win, while Williams picked up his first save as a Laker.
 
On the hitting side, Potts, Zak and Abel led the way with three hits apiece. The trio combined for six RBI as well, with Potts' three serving as the team high. Nadratowski finished 2-for-4 with a three runs--equal to his career high--two RBI and two walks. Zak was the only Laker who matched Nadratowski's three runs.
 
The Lakers are back in action tomorrow against league rival Ashland at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale, Florida. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.

Notes:
-Kevin Zak recorded the 68th multi-hit game and 36th multi-RBI game of his career--both of those figures lead all active Lakers
-Jamie Potts notched the 41st two-out RBI of his collegiate career, a total that leads all current GVSU players
-Zak (nine), Potts (five) and Aaron Overbeck (two) all extended their active hitting streaks
-The Lakers turned three double plays, a feat they last accomplished on March 26, 2014 in a win over Hillsdale
-Jesse Abel matched his career high of three hits for a fourth time
-Overbeck also matched a career high of two runs for a sixth time
-Potts' triple was the eight of his career
-Taylor Huebner (left field), Josh Griffith (first base), Jason Ribecky (designated hitter) and John McLaughlin (catcher) all started in their Laker debuts
-Josh Smith, Connor Glick, Ryan McClelland, Mitch Ashcraft and Matt Williams all made their GVSU debuts as reserves or relievers
-GVSU now carries a 44-6 all-time record against Gannon