>> Welcome back to an all-new episode of the Grand Valley State Work report on WVU.

I'm your host Daniel Booth putting in for Steve Lloyd Jones.

And here's what we have coming up for you tonight.

Laker baseball stays hot on the diamond as they move to a 9 game win streak.

GVSU softball opened ugly act play in Allendale with 4 straight wins.

And we'll also look at the GSU men's golf team as they continue to dominate buildings this season.

Bucket in Laker Nation as the Grand Valley State for report starts.

>> Grand Valley State University Baseball continues that their hot streak with another 3 wins this week.

Those winds give the Lakers a nine-game win streak as they now sit at 13 4 on the year.

Joining us now to talk about his team is head coach Jamie Italian coach.

Thanks for joining us.

Yeah, thanks for having its exciting week.

Yeah, excited and 3, 3, games, 3 wins.

What's been the key to success so far?

You're you're you're right.

The hot hand.

>> Well, it's interesting.

We started the season off, '03.

And we've really played well since then.

So I don't know if it was just a, you know, a wake-up call or what.

But once we got to Florida, we played really well.

We've been back and sometimes the weather throws things for throws a curve ball and so to speak.

And, you know, we get whether you know, whether I think 3 times now we've had to switch our games, you know, dates of our games.

And even today's Monday, even today, Monday, we had to switch from Saturday to today.

So, you know, we've had a lot of schedule changes.

So I'm really proud of our guys to be able to stay, you know, mentally locked in and engaged in and just ready for whatever's thrown our way, because this is kind of a chaotic with all the schedule changes.

>> And our guys are just a good process right now.

So it's it's good to see you.

I'd like to ask you about that because the truth is these are professional athlete, right?

These are student athletes.

It's spring break, break season.

You know, there's that urge to get outside and how do you keep your team locked in and focused and continue to do to win?

>> That's a great question.

Herpich answers here.

But I'll say this about our team and we've got a really resilient group.

There's a good combination of character and now there's some good thing, some selling us and they got to have fun and enjoy enjoy the ride here.

But at the same time, it's a really intelligent, a really hard-working group of guys.

So there's a good mix of of of a lot of things that are bringing the best out of one another.

>> Could be a little bit about Hillsville.

Last week you had a big game.

6 runs in the 5th inning.

I think 5 runs in the 6th inning.

One of the 2 he win that game 11 to 3.

What's in the keys to your success?

How the bathroom coming alive?

>> Well, we start that game off a little slow.

We've got some really good pitching.

And it was intentionally a staff day.

So we had everybody throw an inning or 2.

I think we went through maybe 6 arms that day.

And you know where Florida, everybody got some opportunity and we're back up here and we're 2 weeks out from Florida.

Guys haven't thrown in a while.

So we'd like to keep some some of our arms fresh.

We are down a couple with some injuries, but that aside guys have really stepped in nicely and fill the role to the best of their ability.

And we're competing right now which is great to see something.

Yes, 7 pitchers in that game getting the chance, the throw.

>> Is it the is it hard to pull back from a warm weather climate like for to come back to the cold here in Michigan to those of Michael tend to tighten up and penned up.

Is there a risk of injury there?

>> Yeah, there's a risk of a lot of thanks, Hahaha.

Lot of games because of the weather.

But yeah, I know we've that we've had to change a lot around, like I said, and, you know, it doesn't seem like we're missing a beat from from where we left off in Florida.

And and the biggest thing right now for me to tell our guys is to just stay the course stay, stay focused on our process right now.

I'm trying not to get too result oriented and let's just stay the course with our process.

Sure.

Talking a little bit about Nick Kwiatkoski.

Your picture.

4 wins on the season so far have to be a little bit about his leadership and what is even known right so far.

So he's he's one of the most reliable pitchers we've had and I've been here 21 years and 21 years.

He's one of the more reliable guys in.

You just know what you're going to get every single day.

He has a great week of practice.

He's a good leader there.

Kind of a quiet leader.

But at the same time speaks well, when he does speak, if he's just really reliable with work ethic with with what he's doing with his practice habits there, there's so many things that he's doing.

This sets himself up for success on Game Day.

>> You know you that you probably want that in the leader to you want a quiet leader who who leads, by example, goes about his business.

Is that correct?

>> Yeah, there's there's a variety of ways guys can lead.

And that's that tends to be his style.

But we have we have various leaders with various different, you know, leadership qualities.

But I'm Nick is really doing a good job when we throw him out there.

The first game, he just sets the tone for the for the weekend for pitchers just throwing strikes and keeping a low pitch count.

>> Yeah, great tacos.

A little bit about the 2 winds yesterday.

A double header.

Yesteray got some winds.

What happened there?

>> Well, it was interesting because we went to second on Saturday night stay overnight and that we were scrambling for a field as they got weathered out.

You know, we woke up Sunday morning to kind of a yes, I'm tough field conditions and they were not play walk the field with their coaching staff and the field is not play ball.

So we got on the bus and drove a couple hours over back this way to the Cornerstone University, which is a great facility.

But so we had a little bit, you know, it a little bit of diversity there to start, but it was good to see that.

Our guys again, just kind of answer the call.

And, you know, we've battled it out the first game and really came alive in the second game ever.

>> As we're taping us now to it will already have you already in play.

But your head now to Amman, another 2 hours down the road, right?

>> Yeah, so go to the northwest and 2 more conference games and our conferences really competitive in the sport of baseball.

So it's it's kind of a dog fight every single day.

So I believe our guys are ready to go.

Hopefully, although the you know, scrambling around on the bus trips and moving sites and all that stuff and days don't take its toll too quick, but I think we'll be ready.

>> Yeah, you know, I've always wanted to ask the coach about this.

You know, a minor league baseball collegiate baseball like on the bus, right?

You're you're on that.

But a lot is that time to to talk about strategy or the Tiber for the athletes to just relax and goof off on their phones.

>> Yeah, well, their student athletes.

So a lot of them will study.

But it also is time to unwind a little bit if we go play double header that we tend to beat the field for us at 6, 7, 8, hours some time.

So it is time to unwind and for them to enjoy themselves to some degree.

But again, their student athletes, some guys get on the bus and and hit the books, too.

So there's a a few different things going on there.

But with the group that we have, we've got really good students.

So tend to be a lot of study and 2.

>> Yeah, you know, 5 games this week, no rest for the weary, right?

Let's go get em.

What could be the key to success this week?

>> Well, I think it not net concerning ourselves so much about who's in the other dugout just and our process, just making sure that we're executing what we're trying to execute.

Just let our good have a practice habits show up on the game field and not get too caught up in results and who are plan.

But just play the game is as well as we possibly can and what we can control, you know, to the best we can and those areas, I think we should be in good shape.

>> And you've got a bus to catch right now.

You're heading out right now to him and I want to get to where your time continued success going to go.

Get them going.

All right.

Thanks a lot.

Better shape.

We'll be right back.

As the Grand Valley State Sports report continues Wgba.

>> GVSU men's golf is in the middle of their spring season and the team is currently rolling with 5 first-place finishes at different events since October.

Joining us now to talk about his team via Zoom head coach Gary Bissell, coach you doing today.

Excellent how you.

Thanks for a man.

Thanks so much.

Appreciate the time.

Well, spring is in the air and boy, GVSU golf couldn't be doing better undefeated right now and everything's clicking at a trial match against Davenport 2 months prior to your first first-place finishes as a team.

What's happened in that clubhouse right now?

What are the keys to your success?

>> I think a lot of key.

I mean, when you look at the end, one of the best all teams in the country, you need 2 things.

You need some really, really strong players up front that can really carry the load.

And then you need some guys in the back in the lineup that can still provide good score.

See a star and you need app.

We have that star.

And Charlie, I would argue we have 3 stars in Charlotte and a lot of Nick Krueger and Drew Coble and we've got to freshman in the back end of our lineup right now, embrace Wheeler and Charlie Cooley who were doing an excellent job for us and provide that depth that we need.

>> You know, let's talk about some of those individual performances.

First with a Charlie.

He help you guys would in North Carolina this past week that his 10th career win and 4th win this year.

He's ranked number 2.

I believe the country.

Yeah.

How it really able to compete at such a high level in the end?

What kind of a leadership is that that what what kind of effect does that have that kind of leadership have on the rest of the team?

>> Yeah, Charlie's.

He's got the total package, if you will.

You know, he's he's a strong athletic guy.

He's about 6, 2, So he's able to, you know, put a lot of speed on it and hit the ball pretty far, which is a big advantage of that.

On top of that, Charlie, just a tremendous worker like his work ethic is unrivaled and that's with everything in the classroom in the weight room on the golf course.

He does a really good job, organizing his time in managing his day and becoming the best player that he can be in.

I think that leadership he doesn't really have to be a vocal leader.

I think that the guys see what he's doing and if Charlie Long is going to work that hard, no one else has an excuse not to.

>> We're in one of those phases right now in the season where, you know, one day it's snowing 8 inches in the next day.

It's warm.

How did the how do you deal with the weather and getting to keep the guys warm and fresh and getting out there with winter weather has been so tricky.

>> Yeah, I'm a pretty seasoned at this point, right by 9 to and then, you know, West Michigan, the little unforgiving in the spring and I feel like every spring we're saying we're having a weird spring.

We just have different types of weird springs every spring.

So we've got to get really creative in our practice.

But we've been doing this for years and we found ways to manage around it.

But it just comes down to creativity.

And how can you simulate the golf course the best that you can indoors?

And I think we're doing pretty well that.

>> I want to go back to your squad and in that clubhouse, you, of course, have a senior leadership and Charlie, but you've got 2 very talented sophomores, Drew Coble and Nick Krueger, what are they doing day in and day out to get you guys of these winds?

>> Yeah, I mean, although I guess I guess damage about Charlie out, they're all doing.

They're all in.

And every aspect, you know, we've all they're great in the classroom.

They're great.

The weight room.

I think we won highest GPA and a men's programs like 6 or 7 semesters in a row.

Now, I'm so happy that it's really, really cool to see, guys, you know, putting in that full effort.

We kind of a, you know, a little idea here, like the way you do something is the way you do everything.

So if we're going to put effort into something, we're going to give it our best.

And that is a matter of that's academics or strength training or on the golf course.

>> Does that affect how you recruit?

I mean, is there a certain profile of character?

Does that play a role in the guys?

You're going you're going?

>> Yeah, I would say I'm I'm recruiting character above all out.

There's kind of a certain minimum requirement of the type of player that you know and the talent that you need to be out.

Of course, you know, we're not just taking guys who aren't any good and you need to be good first and foremost.

But there's a lot of guys that are good.

And then we're sifting through who are the highest character out of those.

And what I deem is high character.

It would certainly be someone with a strong work ethic, someone who treats other people while that's really, really important to me.

And then we're also looking for guys that are highly competitive.

>> You know, and that's an interesting point, too, because you think, you know, golf is an individual sport, but you're also playing for the Lakers.

And so how do you how do you manage guys not having much of an ego and plan for each other as well?

>> I think it's really important that you do play for something beyond yourself helps huge push a little harder and work a little harder.

And we talk a lot about how when you go out there, you're not representing just Charlie, no longer drew call, you're representing the golf program and more importantly, you're representing Grand Valley State University and that goes back to that work ethic and how you treat people.

It's just as important as winning as we leave an event that everyone that we come in contact with said, you know, those are really great guys that are really polite.

Well, mannered on that to us is every bit as important as winning.

>> We have a championship for just a few weeks away.

I'm sure you don't have to say it will make it 7.

I'm sure anything other than a championship.

Probably be disappointing.

But what is going to throw the keys to your success Internet in 3 weeks?

>> Yeah, you know this.

This is a golf course.

This is the 3rd year we've been there and it's a golf course.

We've we've actually played fairly well at, but we just been bested the last 2 years.

And, you know, hats off, it would spare us that took us out, you know, because we go in that show play.

And then it dives into a medal match play format and we face off against terrorists and they've given us heck of a time the last couple years.

So they've really stepped up and perform their best of the time.

It's most needed, which we define as competitive greatness.

So we just need to get that little bit better effort than they do at the right time.

And hopefully we can do that this year.

>> Do you think Charlie and the squad know that coming into the season that there that this tournament like that with these guys have got the past 2 years that it's time to the payback and does that does that get them up and ready to go?

>> Yeah, I mean, we don't obviously we don't get to choose who we play.

So we'll see if we end up getting matchup against Paris again, depending on how the show play plays out.

But one way or another, like no matter who we play, that the ship is on the shoulder.

You know, we've we think we've been the best team in the conference last 2 years and just at the gliac tournament, particularly didn't get it done.

And that's something that, you know, we've got to learn from and improve this year.

>> And then finally, you know how not to get too far ahead.

But what is the Gulf picture looking like for GVSU regionally and beyond?

>> Yeah, the goal is as a national championship.

So we kind of start forward or backward.

So the goal from day one was to win a national championship.

I think we've got a team that's absolutely capable of that.

But at that same point, that's really just motivation, right?

We can't win the national championship today.

So that's not until the end of May.

So that is our motivation.

Why we wake up in the morning and go to work.

But at the same time, we are focused on the day-to-day process.

And, you know, we've got a team saying called ties and now is the Japanese business turn.

That means daily improvement in the fall that our goal every day is to be better.

And then the day we were before and so far, that service pretty well this year.

>> Coach Ben, so thank you so much for that.

I will be watching.

Go get Em.

Go Lakers.

>> I appreciate and thank you.

>> All right.

We'll be right back.

As the Grand Valley State Sports report continues right here on WGN.

>> Grand Valley State University softball dominated the competition this week winning 5 of 6 games, 3 of which came on run rule decisions.

The team now fits that 20 in 3 overall on the year and start conference play undefeated.

Joining us now to talk about it all softball head coach Dana Callahan coach, welcome to the show.

Thanks so much for the time.

Of course.

Thank you.

20 in 3 kind of par for the course of a long history of success.

Grand Valley State University softball talk about this.

If you're within happening within the keys to success so far.

>> You know, I mean, we just been grinding out some games and now we've got some veterans on the team, but we have a lot of youth as well.

And so we've been trying to navigate that just getting everybody on the same page and then teaching the game, though, that we how we want to play the game.

And we're taking advantage of a lot of the skill sets that we have and we're learning as we go and and hopefully will be peaking at the right time.

>> Talk about this weekend.

You start to react play when 5 of 6 over the keys to the success this weekend.

>> This weekend, I think was just making sure that we stay within ourselves.

You know, we struggled a little bit tough to get the bats going and then not making adjustments to the pitching that they were throwing to us.

And we just wanted to make sure that we were taking advantage of of what our skills were and and not trying to outdo ourselves, you know, just staying within ourselves and then playing the game that we we want to play and control things.

>> You know, talk about a little bit of a parked on Friday because the batter certainly alive area slapping around for 2 games.

10 runs in one game, 10 runs in another.

Are the girls just seeing the ball?

Well, that game happening?

>> Well, like I said, we were focusing all week long on just seeing the ball into the bat, not trying to outdo anything, you know, just put the ball in play and find the holes and then allow our speed in and not getting base runners on to generate those runs.

Because I'll be honest, I'm not I'm not a home run teaching type coach.

I just want to slap the ball of the gaps and and people I move in and keep things rolling.

You know, I mean, I want, you know, momentum to keep going batter after batter after batter because sometimes home runs, kill rallies.

And if we can get everybody hitting, then we know we're going to score runs.

Remember George Brett Freeman's Royals player wants that.

He said home runs a rally colors.

Remember thinking, like, what are you talking about?

That mimics a lot of time salute, Lee.

I mean, because, you know, you get a double night, get somebody on base.

You got make the defense think a little bit about what they're going to do.

Nobody's on base.

It's easy to get the next out.

You know.

>> Interesting.

So I want to I want to go back a little bit and talk about focus, you know, this time of year weather stream.

If you want to get outside, how do you keep your girls focus then and keep their heads down and focus on the game ahead?

>> I'm not sure the weather's getting nicer dealing with that.

But yeah, we always are.

But I know we just we just know that there's going to be a adversity with the weather schedule changes for like that.

But again, in day in and day out, we're just trying to treat preached the same message of saying within ourselves and controlling what we can control.

>> Want to talk a little bit 2 leaders.

It's easy to slap a ball around and win these games.

When you get great pitching many certainly do that with Hannah.

Be at a popular talk with a little about her leadership.

She even such a such an amazing Laker for so long last year.

Now, the end of this year talk about her leadership and and what she brings to the table.

>> Well, obviously, just her maturity and her experience and things like that, you know, I mean, but she she has a true passion.

She has a true passion for for playing the game and and competing.

And that's truly what she brings to this team.

She's got a swagger about Iran and it's hard to beat that.

That's something that's ingrained and you can't teach it.

But she does have a true passion for not only the game of softball, but for this team in.

>> You know what, what it represents one of the girls collar, the collar Hannah.

Be tough because the governors in well, good thing now is that she has some support.

Talk to me a little bit about actually played back because she brings in another amazing arm to the table cracked.

>> Yeah, actually is a 4th year player for us.

She hasn't gotten as much innings the last couple years.

But, you know, she was one we knew we had to rely on a little bit with the other younger pictures that we have on staff.

And so that was something that we've been working with Ashley for the last year is just her, you know, her, her demeanor, her, you know her, but her performance and things like that.

She has really stepped up to the plate.

You know, she's she's just bringing what we always knew she could bring and it's showing on the team.

>> Coach, given you've been at the helm now for 9 years, you're a coach before that and you've had so much success have to ask you up.

We've got a spot a little bit is a is a national championship.

The goal everything all year.

You come into it thinking.

>> That's the goal.

We want to win a national championship.

It is.

I mean that that's the level we want to play at every year.

You know, we want to be competitive at that national level.

But ultimately our goal is that day.

Yeah, and we want to take that game that day.

You know, and then obviously the conferences is the next priority.

And then we move on to the national stage.

But but, yeah, the back of her mind, that's what we all want.

What do you think that would mean to you personally of that that that came before the sun?

You know, I mean, it is what it it's what we always try to achieve.

But I've I've talked to peers that say, you know, it's not the end off.

And, you know, might my job is day in and day out is to develop these young women and to, you know, give them the best possible experience.

And that's what my ultimate goal is.

But in the end, you know, we're all competitive and we want that big.

>> Big trophy.

A fantastical Lakers talking a little bit about the Louis University coming up here on Wednesday.

What they bring to the table.

We're going to be the keys to getting that win.

>> You know, Lewis's played pretty well in their non conference season so far.

And so that's a good regional contests for us will have to be be ready for as we are.

We as we have to be for everybody.

We'll see what the weather brings and and things like that.

It's always a challenge here in Michigan in March, specially but whatever it is, what we'll try to get the games and >> to help the snow is over.

And then finally we ask you a little bit about the sworn enemy for state.

Is that the the the the girls get up for for rival games like that?

Those are a little bit more excitement in the air.

You know, you're taking on a cross town rival.

>> We do.

You know, but we also know that that everybody is gunning for us, you know, whether the arrival or not.

And so that's that's the challenge that we have to get across to our younger players as they've never been in that situation before.

But, >> you know, we we get ready for day in and day out.

So we'll be ready on Saturday.

Everybody gotten point.

That's where you want to be and go get him coach.

I know we can do it.

Thanks so much for that.

I was so appreciative.

Of course.

Thank you.

We'll be right back.

As the Grand Valley State Sports report continues right here on Wdvm.

>> The Grand Valley Women's lacrosse team Open conference play with a matchup against Concordia Saint Paul and for the 24th consecutive react game.

The Lakers employee victorious winning 70 that tend to move to 5, 4, overall and one 0 in the act play well.

Uber Singer had a big offensive game scoring 5 goals and dishing out 2 assists, often grabbing 8 draw controls.

He quit and then scored 3 times and assisted on.

2 more goals, though, is that we're ready to campaign in Ella Boufal scored twice while Maggie Hammer Kate, the young and Ellie Bernard, all that one past.

The goalkeeper Champagne hammered the young and Bernard all recorded one assist.

The Lakers continue to be at play next week taking on Davenport Tuesday on the road at 06:00PM.

And then they returned home that Friday March 31st.

The plate, Northern Michigan at 05:00PM.

>> That's all the time we have this week on the Grand Valley State Sports report.

Dsu baseball will be back in action this week with 4 games after today.

They'll take on Davenport tomorrow in Caledonia, Michigan.

First pitch is slated for 03:00PM in the 9th inning affair.

Well, then start their home schedule on Friday against Wayne State in double header action.

The first game is scheduled for 01:00PM with a second following shortly after then take on Parkside in a double header on Sunday.

April.

2nd at the G be a few baseball diamond.

The first game against the Rangers is scheduled for 01:00PM followed by the second game.

>> TBS is a Paul will also see a pair of doubleheaders at home this week as they take on Louis University on Wednesday.

March 29th.

That's going to get 03:00PM will then continue on Glee act play with a double header against rival Ferris State on Saturday.

April, 1st first pitch from Allendale is scheduled for 01:00PM CBS.

You Lacrosse will play a pair of games this week on Tuesday will take on Cross town rival Davenport at 06:00PM.

Just on the other side of Grand Rapids, they'll follow.

That came up with a battle against Northern Michigan on Friday March 31st.

Back game that evening will be titled Morgan's message Game as they partner with an organization called Morgan's message that aims to end the stigma around mental health at the game.

The team will try to raise awareness to the resources on campus sharing that it is okay to let others know your struggling mentally.

And some of the student athletes will also be sharing their own stories.

>> For upcoming games as well as live broadcast of every Laker athletic program, visit GVSU Lakers dot com for more of this show.

Head over to our YouTube channel at YouTube Dot com Slash Wgu.

35 make sure you hit that subscribe button to get updated videos and highlights all year long and for the entire crew here.

Wgba I'm Daniel have a great week Laker Nation and as always and corrupt