NORMAL, Ill. - The Wayne State University baseball team (32-20) lost a 4-2 heartbreaker to No. 1 ranked Grand Valley State University (49-3) in 10 innings on Thursday afternoon in the opening round of the NCAA Midwest Regional.

Cory Phillips, a native of Normal who began his collegiate career at nearby Hartland Community College, hit a walk-off two-run homer to left to give the Lakers their third straight postseason win over the Warriors.

Moments earlier, sophomore Brad Guenther (Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline) smacked 2-2 pitch up the middle off GVSU closer Brad Zambron which brought in Alex Trojan (Fenton, Mich./Hartland) to tie the game with two outs in the top of the ninth.

Brett Shankin (Washington, Mich./Romeo) went back out for the 10th inning and walked the leadoff hitter Brian Robinson, who scored on Phillips' home run. Shankin (7-3) gave up six hits and struck out six in 9.1 innings.

Wayne State nearly overcame three errors and 10 runners left on base to defeat the top-ranked team in Division II and the host school for the Midwest Regional. GVSU instead won its 29th straight.

After establishing a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning as Caleb Dalman (Hudsonville, Mich.) homered to left off GVSU starter Ryan Garman, the Lakers put runners at first and third with two outs in the fifth. A throwing error on a grounder by Phillips, who was subsequently thrown out at second, allowed Torre Aguirre to score.

In the sixth inning, Cody Grice reached on a fielder's choice, stole second, and scored on a failed pickoff throw which sailed into center field. Garman left the game with the lead, allowing three hits and two walks with three strikeouts in the no-decision.

Christopher Whitney pitched effectively in relief for 1.1 innings before giving way to Zambron, who was unable to pick up his 11th save of the year but settled for his fourth victory.

Wayne State will face Southern Indiana in an elimination game Friday at 12:00 p.m. CT. The Screaming Eagles, who are the defending Division II national champions, lost a 2-0 result to Missouri S&T on Thursday afternoon.

NOTES
Dalman has reached base in 15 straight games, one shy of the season-long by any Warrior … with a single in the fourth inning, Michael Wiseman (White Lake, Mich./Lakeland) extended his hitting streak to nine games, tying his season-long … Wayne State is 3-7 all-time in the NCAA Regional … Shankin threw a season-high 132 pitches.