Courtesy photo Bay College Bay College sophomore Josh Blake (2) wait for a pitch during a game against Grand Rapids Community College.

GRAND RAPIDS – The Bay College Baseball Team (10-10, 3-5 MCCAA) could not break through against the Grand Rapids Community College Raiders (18-9, 8-0 MCCAA) as the reigning Northern Conference Champions took a commanding lead in the division, sweeping the Norse by scores of 10-1, 7-2, 11-4, and 6-3.

The Raiders made a statement in the bottom of the first when Travin Laming (SO, Walker, MI) tripled and scored on Chad Fisher Jr.’s (FR, Dearborn, MI) double. GRCC put up four runs in the first.

Grand Rapids CC added to their lead in the third. Dylan Nguyen (SO, Walker, MI) belted a two-run home run to left and it started another four-run inning, putting the game out of reach early.

The Norse got their only run of the game when Zach Gibson (FR, Nassau, Bahamas) homered to left to lead off the fourth.

The Raiders added runs late to seal a 10-1 win to start the series.

Lucas McKinney (SO, Clarkston, MI) was the winning pitcher for Grand Rapids, going six innings and giving up three hits, one run, walking three, and striking out six.

Hunter Ballantyne (FR, Brantford, ON) took the loss for Bay.

The Norse took the lead in game two in the top of the fourth. Zac Gomersall (SO, Perth, Australia) and Josh Blake (SO, Seffner, FL) singled to lead off the inning and Gomersall scored on a wild pitch with two outs, giving Bay a 1-0 lead. The Norse left two on in the inning.

A defensive miscue triggered a big inning for Grand Rapids in the bottom half of the fourth. After a lead off walk a hard hit, one-hop ground ball was hit directly to short, but the feed on what looked to be an almost certain double play was thrown past the base at second, setting up the Raiders with runners on first and third with no one out. After an RBI single by Ty Sandwick (FR, Grand Haven, MI) tied the game and a sacrifice fly gave the Raiders the lead. From there the Norse struggled to get out of the inning as four base hits from the next five hitters made the score 5-1.

Grand Rapids CC added a pair of runs in the fifth. Bay looked to rally in the sixth when Blake and George Cooper (FR, Eltham, Australia) doubled to score a run, but that was the extent of the threat, as Bay wound up losing by a final of 7-2.

Camden Seth (FR, Grand Rapids, MI) was the winning pitcher. In five and one-third innings he scattered eight hits and gave up two earned runs while striking out seven.

Thijs Rijpstra (FR, Dongen, Netherlands) pitched well early, but was credited with a loss in four innings of work.

Gomersall was 2-for-4 with a run scored, and Blake was 2-for-3 with a run scored and a double.

On Sunday the Norse grabbed the lead in the bottom of the first. Gomersall hit a two-out double for a run and scored on Blake’s single.

Aaron Bess (SO, Boyne City, MI) cut that lead in half to lead off the second, blasting a long home run to right field, but other then that, the Raiders seemed to be held in check by Bay’s starting pitcher, Lorenzo Feliciano (FR, Deerfield Beach, FL).

That all changed in the fourth. A pair of walks to lead off the inning put Feliciano in a spot of trouble. After inducing a pop up on the infield, there seemed to be a way out, but it did not come. After an RBI single a softly hit groundball up the middle gave the Norse trouble as by the time they were able to flip the ball to second, the runner had beaten the throw, meaning Bay was not able to record an out on a softly hit ball in a crucial situation. The tie was broken with a bases loaded hit by pitch and Austin Gates (FR, Lansing, MI) made the Norse really pay with a two-RBI double. Fisher Jr. added another RBI with a base hit and Bay found themselves down five.

Grand Rapids added four runs over the next three innings, putting what was a closely fought game out of reach. Bay was able to score two in the seventh but ended up losing by seven.

Colton Blankstrom (SO, Montague, MI) was the winning pitcher. He threw 6 1/3 innings and gave up five hits. All four runs he surrendered were unearned. He walked just one while striking out seven.

Feliciano took the loss for Bay.

The finale found the Norse unable to produce a big hit in the early going. Bay left eight runners on through the first five innings.

Meanwhile the Raiders manufactured runs in the second and third and got a two-run home run by Jacob Pitt (FR, Grand Rapids, MI). Errors extended the inning and GRCC wound up with four runs in the frame.

Down by six, the Norse tried to mount a comeback. After loading the bases in the sixth, a two-out error allowed two runs to score, cutting the lead to four. Bay got things going in the seventh when Gomersall singled to drive in another run, but a good angle and strong throw from the left fielder cut Gomersall down at second as he tried to stretch it to a double. Bay would bring the tying run to the plate with two outs after a pair of walks, but Andrew Pohlman (FR, Grandville, MI) was called on from the pen and would slam the door, inducing a fly ball on the infield for the final out.

Canyen Veldhouse (FR, Caledonia, MI) picked up the win with four innings of shutout ball. Pohlman picked up a save.

Cooper took the loss for Bay. He lasted 5 2/3 innings and gave up seven hits, six runs, three earned, three walks and struck out two.

Bay is set for some non-conference action on Thursday and Friday as they head out to western Wisconsin. On Thursday they have a doubleheader with Minnesota Post Grad. On Friday they will take on Western Tech and Viterbo JV.