With its inaugural season in full swing, the Grand Valley State University club baseball team is ready and rearing to show off their hard work and make a statement to the rest of the league.

Being the new kid on the block isn’t always the easiest task, especially when it comes to being a new collegiate club team. With seemingly never-ending costs and expenses just to make the everyday operation of a club team successful, club President Dominic Padovini has a lot on his plate to keep the Lakers’ program afloat.

Along with running the business side of the operation, Padovini also plays catcher and first base. He knows that starting a new team always presents challenges and obstacles; however, he can also recognize the importance of a good start to the season, which is exactly what the Lakers have going for them now.

“At every step there’s always a bump in the road,” Padovini said. “We’ve got 26 guys, there’s a lot to manage, there’s a lot of money coming in and out. There are definitely bumps in the road, but our ultimate goal is winning games and so far that seems to be going pretty smoothly.”

With a 8-4 record to end the fall part of the schedule, the Lakers have a very real chance at competing for their district championship and possibly making some noise moving forward, but both players and coaches understand that a strong start doesn’t always guarantee a strong finish.

The main goal of the team that has been echoed since the start of the season is to simply focus on winning the next game on the schedule.

“Just win,” said sophomore first basemen and pitcher Rob Wilson. “You know, as Al Davis said, ‘Just win baby’ so that’s all we’re trying to do. We’re trying to win our division while worrying about our non-conference teams, lots of goods teams. We’re just trying to have fun.”

Success in baseball generally comes down to two key components: How well can you hit and how well you can pitch. Scoring double digits in two of its last three games represents how well the Lakers can swing the bat, but it’s the pitching staff that’s had the eye of the coaching staff lately.

“Our pitching has been great,” said senior assistant coach Max Elkins. “We have three horses on the mound, all really good starting pitchers.”

The Lakers swept a three-game series with Michigan Technological University this weekend, ending the fall season. The team will return to action in March.

[email protected]