Blake Salamon Sets NU Home Run Record In Wild 30-17 Win Over Grand Valley State

OVERVIEW – GRAND VALLEY STATE

SCORES: Northwood Timberwolves 30, Grand Valley State Lakers 17

RECORDS: Northwood (16-15), Grand Valley State (15-15)

LOCATION: Gerace Stadium – Midland, Mich.

RECAP: Blake Salamon sets the Northwood baseball career record for home runs in a wild 30-17 win over Grand Valley State Tuesday afternoon (April 7).  

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• Northwood got on the board on an error from GVSU in the first inning, with Myles Beale earning the RBI to put the Timberwolves up 1-0.
• The Lakers responded with a two-run homer in the top of the second to make the score 2-1.
• NU put up their first big inning of the game in the second, which got going on a two-run double from Logan Voth.
• Matt Magno and Beale followed with run-scoring singles to put the Timberwolves on top 5-2.
• Blake Salamon and Alex Cole then had back-to-back RBI doubles to bring home two more runs.
• After a Joey Johnston sacrifice fly, Caden Duryea connected on a triple to right field to make the score 9-2.
• A GVSU error capped the nine-run second inning to send the game to the third with Northwood on top 10-2.
• The Lakers responded with a big inning of their own, brining home seven runs in the top of the third to get back within one at 10-9.
• Clark came home on a wild pitch in the bottom of the third to make the score 11-9.
• The Timberwolves got home runs from Duryea and Magno for three more runs in the fourth that put NU on top 14-9.
• Grand Valley State put one up in the top of the fifth to cut the lead to four at 14-10.
• Salamon made history to start the bottom of the fifth, connecting on a solo home run to right field. That was his 33rd career home run, which made him the all-time leader in home runs in program history.
• Cole followed by scoring on a wild pitch, which was followed by an RBI single from Clark that made the score 17-10.
• After another wild pitch scored Northwood's 18th run. Magno followed with his second home run of the game, a two-run shot that gave the Timberwolves a 10-run advantage at 20-10.
• GV connected on a solo home run in the sixth to get within nine, only to see Voth bring home a run with a sac fly in the bottom of the inning to send the game to the seventh at 21-11.
• The Lakers cut the advantage down to 21-14 with three runs in the top of the seventh.
• NU started their final big inning of the game in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI double by Salamon.
• Cole and Johnston each had an RBI single, followed by a two-run single from Voth.
• Evan Wiegand then had a bases loaded walk to cap a six-run seventh inning that made the score 27-14.
• GVSU scored three runs in the top of the eight, which was capped by GVSU's Kyle Nott completing the cycle with a double. That made the score 27-17.
• Northwood scored the final three runs of the game on a two-RBI single. A throwing error brought home another run to cap a 30-run day for the Timberwolves.

GAME STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors: Northwood 30/25/3, Grand Valley State 17/20/3
• Runners left on base: Northwood 12, Grand Valley State 7
• Winning Pitcher – Jake Jekielek (3-3): 2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, K
• Losing Pitcher – Ayden Vanenkevort (1-1): 1 2/3 IP, 9 H, 10 R (9 ER), 2 BB, K

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Magno: 4-4, 2 HR, 4 R, 5 RBIs
• Duryea: 3-4, HR, 3B, 4 R, 3 RBIs
• Salamon: 4-7, HR, 2 2B, 3 R, 3 RBIs
• Voth: 2-6, 2B, 3 R, 5 RBIs
• Clark: 3-7, 3 R, 3 RBIs
• Cole: 2-5, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBIs
• Johnston: 4-5, 3 R, 2 RBIs
• Beale: 1-3, 2 R, 2 RBIs, 3 BB
• Ben Narr: 2-5, 4 R

NORTHWOOD NOTES

• All nine of Northwood's starters reached base at least two times in the game.
• Salamon moved past Northwood Hall of Famer Bill Gorski on the career home run list. Gorski hit 32 home runs from 1981-83.

UP NEXT

• Northwood travels to Walsh for a weekend series starting Saturday (April 13). Game time is set for Noon.