CHILLICOTHE, Ohio-- Grand Valley State University and Wayne State University each claimed wins on the opening day of the 2009 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Baseball Championship.

GVSU 6, NU 4  Click here for box score

Release courtesy of Travis McCurdy and the NU Sports Information Department

The Northwood University baseball team dropped the opening game of the GLIAC Tournament, losing to Grand Valley State 6-4. NU is now 25-22 on the season after the loss. GVSU stands at 39-13-1 with the win.

Things started well for the Timberwolves, as leadoff hitter Matt Czajkowski (Plymouth, Mich./Divine Child) started the game with a triple to deep center. He eventually scored on a two-run single by Derek Fritz (Standish, Mich./Standish-Sterling).

Northwood eventually led 2-0 after one and 3-0 after two before the Lakers offense came to life in the third. GVSU scored all six of their runs for the game in the third. The key play proved to be a grand slam by Laker second baseman Kyle Gendron.

NU came right back after the big inning and scored a run of their own in the fourth, but that tally proved to be the final for either team in the contest.

Fritz finished the game with two hits and a pair of RBI's, while Zach Lecker (Saginaw, Mich./MLS) had three hits for the Timberwolves. Starter Jordan Snider (Bay City, Mich./John Glenn) was strong outside of the six-run third. He finished the game allowing nine hits and six runs in seven innings, but all six runs and six of the nine hits occurred in the third.

Northwood will play Ashland Friday (May 8) at 3 p.m.

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WSU 5, AU 4  Click here for box score

The Wayne State Unversity baseball team came from behind to down top-seeded Ashalnd Univeristy, 5-4, in game two of the 2009 GLIAC Baseball Championship.

The Warriors, seeded fourth in the four-team tournament, scored three runs in top of ninth to steal the victory from the Eagles.  After Adam Kaminski singled, and Michael Wiseman walked to open the ninth for WSU, Paul LaMantia dropped a bunt down that thrid base line that AU starting pitcher Ajay Meyer threw into the AU bullpen, allowing two runs to score.

Then Charlie Dunneback singled home LaMantia, before Andrew Ciennik doubled home Dunneback which proved to be the winning run.

Wayne State moves on to face second-seeded Grand Valley State on Friday (May 8) at Noon.  Ashland will take on third-seeded Northwood on Friday at 3:00 p.m.