DETROIT -- The Wayne State University baseball program (25-18 overall, 13-11 GLIAC) hosted Grand Valley State (26-19 overall, 14-11 GLIAC) for the first of four games on an extremely windy Friday afternoon and the Warriors won 13-9 behind an impressive performance from Jared Tobey (St. Clair, Mich.) (6-3) and a couple of big innings offensively.

Wayne State has secured its spot in next week's GLIAC Tournament but are looking to improve its seeding both for that event and the possibly for its NCAA postseason resume.  In the most recent regional ranking, the Warriors were ranked eighth in the Midwest Region.  Eight teams from each of the eight regions will be selected to compete in regional play with the winners from each location advancing to the Division II College World Series.

Wayne State is currently the fifth seed in the GLIAC standings, while GVSU is third.  WSU can finish anywhere from third to sixth depending on the league's final games this weekend.

HOW IT HAPPENED
- After a leadoff triple from Patrick Adams (Detroit, Mich. / De La Salle) in the bottom of the first inning, Jacob Finkbeiner (Saline, Mich.) grounded out to first to plate the game's first run.  WSU scored twice in the bottom of the second to stretch its lead to 3-0.  Tristen Jorah (Clinton Twp., Mich. / Sterling Heights Stevenson) converted a walk to JT Conti (Trenton, Mich.) and a Ryan Mergener (Portage, Mich. / Portage Central) single into a sacrifice fly and Mergener later scored on a wild pitch.

- Back-to-back doubles from Justin Kelly (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton Warrenville South) and Conti in the bottom of the fourth inning produced WSU's fourth run of the day.  Another double, this one from Michael MacLean (Bloomfield Hills, Mich. / Country Day) extended the home advantage to 5-0.  GVSU hit its first of five home runs to right field to begin the fifth inning but the Warriors responded with a run on a Conti RBI single in the bottom of the fifth.

- Another GVSU home run aided by the strong winds trimmed the lead to 6-3 in the top of the sixth inning but the Green & Gold were able to answer with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the sixth to take a 7-3 lead.  Another Lakers' home run and a two-run single in the top of the seventh inning pulled GVSU within a run, 7-6, but Tobey was able to end the frame with his 14th and final strikeout of the day.

- The Warriors regained the momentum in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring three runs on two hits and a GVSU error.  Jorah drove in two runs with a single through the left side and a pinch-hit RBI single from Troy Daring Jr. (Brampton, Ont.) pushed WSU's lead to 10-6.  That lead grew to 13-6 with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.  Mergener, MacLean and Devin Rose (Farmington Hills, Mich. / Orchard Lake St. Mary's) all drove in runs during the inning.

- However, the Lakers would not go away quietly in the ninth inning.  GVSU scored three runs off four hits to cut deficit to four but Taylor Horn (Leo, Ind.) was able to escape and end the game with a strikeout.

AT THE PLATE
- Kelly,  Conti, Mergener and MacLean all posted two-hit games, while Jorah drove in four runs.

ON THE MOUND
- Tobey allowed four earned runs in seven innings and struck out a career-high 14 batters and walked just one batter.  It's his fourth game with at least 10 Ks this season.  Horn allowed three earned runs in his two innings of work and struck out three batters.

UP NEXT
- Wayne State and Grand Valley State will play twice on Saturday beginning at 1:00 p.m.  The Warriors will then honor its senior class prior to the 1:00 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.