WEEKEND PREVIEW
In the final home weekend for the Wayne State University baseball team (26-11, 18-7 GLIAC), the second-place Warriors will host the first-place and nationally-ranked Grand Valley State University Lakers (35-3, 24-1 GLIAC) in a four-game series beginning Saturday afternoon.

Neither team has played a game since last Saturday. The Warriors, who have won eight of their last nine, took two out of three games at Ashland last weekend. The Lakers extended their winning streak to 15 games following a weekend sweep of Findlay.

Wayne State and GVSU met five times last season, with the Warriors winning three of those meetings. Over the last 16 games since 2008, each team has won eight.

The series coincides with three special events, including the second annual “W” Day which will be taking place on the WSU athletic campus on Saturday. In addition, the Wayne State baseball program will welcome back its alumni for a spring reunion on Saturday and will honor its five-member senior class on Sunday.


AT THE HELM
Ryan Kelley, the 2010 GLIAC Coach of the Year, is in his third season as the head coach of the WSU baseball program and has a career record of 83-57. Kelley guided the Warriors to 25 wins in 2009, the most by any first-year head coach in program history. Last season, Wayne State went 32-20 and won the GLIAC regular-season and tournament championships, advancing to the NCAA Regional for the third time since 2005.

Steve Lyon is in his 13th season at Grand Valley State with a record of 492-184-2. His career mark, which includes five seasons at Oakland University, stands at 605-284-3. Lyon has led the Lakers to nine straight NCAA Midwest Regionals, and guided the team to seven consecutive GLIAC championships until WSU interrupted the streak by winning the title in 2010.


IN THE POLLS
Grand Valley State is nationally ranked, currently third in the Collegiate Baseball Division II poll and second in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll. Wayne State is receiving votes in both polls this week.

The upcoming series is significant in terms of regional rankings also, as Grand Valley State and Wayne State are first and fourth, respectively, in the NCAA Midwest Regional poll released Wednesday. The top six teams at the end of the season will play in the NCAA Midwest Regional tournament.


SCOUTING GRAND VALLEY STATE
The Lakers have tasted defeat in conference play just once this season, a 6-1 result April 9 at Saginaw Valley State. Since then the Lakers have outscored their opponents, 144-32, during their current 15-game hitting streak which includes four shutouts.

GVSU is led offensively by junior outfielder Steve Anderson, who came into this week with the third-highest batting average (.409) in the GLIAC. Anderson is the conference leader in home runs (6) and RBI (43).

Junior outfielder Cody Grice is hitting .373 with a conference-high 44 runs scored. He has contributed 15 of GVSU's 106 extra-base hits this season.

The pitching staff entered this week with the ninth-lowest ERA in Division II. Junior right-hander Kyle Schepel is 7-0 with a 2.06 ERA and a team-best 48 strikeouts, second-most in the conference. Senior righty Joe Jablonski is 5-1 and boasts a 4.88 strikeout/walk ratio.


WARRIOR NOTEBOOK
By taking two out of three at Ashland last weekend, the Warriors leapfrogged the Eagles in the NCAA regional rankings this week. Ashland remains in third place in the conference behind WSU, while at least three other teams are competing for the fourth spot in the GLIAC Tournament in two weeks.

Junior right-hander Josh Wedesky improved to 8-0 on Saturday, and entered this week leading the conference (14th in the nation) in victories. He also tied for the seventh-highest single-season win total in WSU history.

Senior righty Brett Shankin, who threw a three-hitter in an 8-1 victory against the Eagles, has allowed just one run over his last five appearances, which includes three complete-game wins and two relief outings. He is 6-1 this season with a 1.63 ERA, third-lowest in the GLIAC.

Michael Wiseman, who has reached base in 10 straight games, homered in Saturday's first game and doubled in the second. The senior catcher surpassed Hall of Famer John Miele (1996-99) for third on WSU's all-time doubles list (45), and tied Aaron Lawson (1998-2001) for third in career home runs (24).

Junior outfielder #C.J. Maszal# had five hits and three RBI in Saturday's doubleheader, and continues to lead the GLIAC (ninth in Division II) with a .450 batting average, which is on pace to be the fifth-highest average recorded in program history.

Kyle Vesey has been one of the hottest hitters on the team over the last 10 games. The junior centerfielder is 14-for-32 (.438) with 13 RBI and nine runs scored in that span.

Senior shortstop Caleb Dalman, already the school's all-time leader in the hit by pitch category (38), is closing in on his own single-season record (14). He has been hit by a pitch in eight of the last 11 games, and 11 times this season.


LOOKING AHEAD
The WSU Police Department picnic, originally scheduled for the April 20 doubleheader with Hillsdale, has been moved to next Wednesday, May 4, as WSU faces Saginaw Valley State in the 2011 home finale. Chief Tony Holt will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Wayne State will close out the 2011 regular season May 7-8 at Lake Erie.


SAVE THE DATES
The Wayne State baseball program is proud to present the annual Dugout Club Golf Outing and Alumni Game on Sept. 24-25. The golf outing will be held at Northville Hills on the morning of Sept. 24, with a gathering to follow in the evening at the Detroit Renaissance Marriott. The alumni baseball game is scheduled for Sept. 25 at the WSU baseball field.

More information will be announced at wsuathletics.com as it becomes finalized.