Baseball roundup: Lakers' league title hopes take a hit
Sat, May 17, 2008 
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From this point on, every Lakes Eight doubleheader for Spring Lake's baseball team is incredibly important.
Unfortunately, the Lakers found out how damaging one loss can be in league play Thursday, as they fell a game behind Fruitport in the Lakes Eight standings after the Lakers split with visiting Grant.
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Fruitport swept Orchard View Friday and now stands at 9-3 in the Lakes Eight, while Spring Lake is 8-4.
A combination of Grant consistently putting the ball in play and a slew of Spring Lake errors proved to be the Lakers' downfall in Game 1 at Hickman Field, as they fell 12-6.
"Everything (Grant) hit, it seemed to fall in, and I think after awhile our kids started to get frustrated and lose their focus," Spring Lake coach Brian Sabo said.
Only five of Grant's 12 runs were earned, with the Lakers committing four errors.
A normally heavy-hitting Lakers' lineup was limited to four hits, two of which came from the bat of Brooks McDonald. Mark Rhem added a single and an RBI, and Chris Sabo tallied a two-RBI single.
Spring Lake's defense improved in the nightcap, as did the offensive production in a 14-4 victory that was called after five innings. McDonald went the distance, scattering eight hits and allowing only two earned runs. McDonald also contributed big at the plate, finishing 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Sophomore Drew Brackett was 3-for-4 with two RBIs, and Sabo added four RBIs, two of which came on sacrifice flies.
Spring Lake (13-9-2 overall) closes its Lakes Eight schedule Tuesday against Fremont. The Lakers must sweep and hope for a Fruitport loss against Newaygo to remain in contention for a league championship.
JUNIOR VARSITY: Spring Lake swept Grant Friday, 12-2 and 12-3, improving to 15-6 overall. Ryan Walling led the Lakers' pitchers with four strikeouts in the opener. A total of three pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts. Jacob Gray scored three runs in the Game 2 win.
FRUITPORT HANDLES ORCHARD VIEW
Fruitport did what it needed to do Friday, sweeping visiting Orchard View, 10-4 and 9-1, and in the process, took control of the Lakes Eight title race.
Sophomore Mario Flores made only his fourth start as a part-time varsity pitcher and was rock-solid against the Cardinals, throwing a complete game.
Billy Burns led a big Trojans' charge in the fifth inning, as his two-RBI double led the way to a six-run inning. Ryan Senecal and Cody Patterson also added RBI hits in the inning.
Robert Afton finished 3-for-3 with a run scored.
Nick Brezina picked up the complete game victory in Game 2, as he whiffed four Cardinals. Burns continued his torrid hitting, collecting two hits to go along with two runs scored. Mike Hall and Afton added two hits apiece for the Trojans (14-12 overall).
Fruitport battles in the Zeeland East Invitational today.
GH SPLITS WITH PANTHERS
Grand Haven's baseball squad managed a split with host West Ottawa Friday, putting the Bucs' record at 5-18 overall and 2-10 in the O-K Red Conference.
The Panthers roughed up Bucs' pitcher Justin Garay for six earned runs in the opener en route to their 11-5 victory.
A bright spot for Grand Haven was the production from Andy Deal, who connected on a three-run homer run, and drove in a total of four runs during the contest. Tyler Duston added two hits, and Josh Poel singled and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
The Bucs hurt themselves by stranding nine baserunners, however.
The Bucs won a pitcher's duel in the nightcap, as both West Ottawa's Jon Brand and Grand Haven's Jordan Anderson threw complete games.
The contest was tied at 1-all until the sixth inning, when the Bucs started a rally with an infield single from Anderson, followed by a West Ottawa throwing error, putting runners at the corners. Grand Haven then scored the winning run on a wild pick-off throw to first base, allowing Anderson to race home.
Nick Urbanczyk's RBI single in the second inning accounted for Grand Haven's other run, as Sam Van Heest scored.
Anderson struck out eight batters in seven innings of work, allowing only five hits.
