NEW PALESTINE, Ind. – The No. 5 UIndy baseball team dropped its second game of the weekend against Grand Valley State, 4-1, on Saturday. This is the fourth consecutive loss for the Hounds after starting the season 5-0.

Both starting pitchers had strong six-plus-inning starts today, UIndy's Dawson Gabe pitching 6 2/3 innings, and Grand Valley State's Jayden Dentler throwing seven. But even with the long starts, there were only five combined punch-outs in this contest.

Saturday's game was moved to New Palestine High School in New Palestine, Ind., due to poor field conditions at Greyhound Park.

INS & OUTS
This game was the complete opposite of yesterday's contest, with 38 combined ground outs and fly outs, which caused quick innings, ending this one in just under two-and-a-half hours.

The Lakers got on the board first in the top of the second inning, pushing across a run on a double play to take 1-0 lead. Nick Lukac answered in the bottom half with a single through the right side gap to square the game at one apiece.

Grand Valley State scored the next two runs of the game off of solo home runs to right center in the third and fifth frames from Ryan Dykstra and Zach Warren to push the Lakers lead out to 3-1.

Dentler gave the Lakers help on the defensive side, holding the Greyhounds to just three hits in the remainder of his seven innings pitched.

The Hounds looked to launch a comeback in the bottom of the ninth, Ian Kennedy's leadoff double and Luke Smock's walk had runners on first and third with one out for UIndy. But Allan Thornington notched his second save of the season for the Lakers after forcing Lukac to ground into a double play to seal the 4-1 win for Grand Valley State.

UP NEXT
UIndy will look to split the weekend series against Grand Valley State when the two teams face off in a doubleheader on Sunday, March 2, with the first pitch set for noon.