Holland Reporter

Grand Valley State University (GVSU) baseball team secured a decisive 17-5 win against Davenport on Thursday at the GVSU Baseball Field. This game marked the first in a four-game series, with the next match scheduled as a doubleheader on Saturday.

The Lakers started strong, with left fielder Ryan Dykstra and designated hitter Jonas Gulbrandsen contributing to an early lead. Dykstra's single and Gulbrandsen's two-run homer set the tone for GVSU. The second inning saw further success as third baseman Jake Rydquist and center fielder Kyle Nott extended the lead through strategic plays.

Despite Davenport's attempt to narrow the gap in the sixth inning, scoring one run, GVSU quickly responded with three more runs. Rydquist and Nott once again played pivotal roles alongside catcher Brendan Guciardo.

The seventh inning was another high point for GVSU, adding five runs aided by errors from their opponents. The eighth inning featured a home run by Anderson and additional contributions from shortstop Zach Warren and Justin Mansager.

Senior right-handed pitcher Nick Rutkowski was credited with the win, improving his season record to 6-4. His performance included yielding only one run over six innings while striking out four batters.

Dykstra had an impressive game, going 5-for-6 with a three-run home run, six RBIs, and three runs scored. Other notable performances included Rydquist's three hits and two RBIs, Anderson’s home run efforts, Nott’s multiple contributions including his career milestone of 50 stolen bases, and Gulbrandsen’s home run achievement.