A strong performance on the mound and timely hitting powered the Hudsonville Freshman Eagles to a 6-2 win over Grandville in game one of Tuesday’s doubleheader. Skyler Slotman was in complete control, striking out 11 batters over five innings. He allowed just one hit and two unearned runs while walking two, setting the tone early and keeping Grandville off balance all game long. The Eagles wasted no time getting on the board in the first inning. Micah McPhaul sparked the offense with a single, followed by a base hit from Slotman. Aggressive baserunning and a Grandville throwing error allowed the first run to cross, giving Hudsonville an early lead. Hudsonville added to it in the second inning. Brady Buchanan started things with a single, and with two outs, Ty Dunbar delivered a clutch hit to left field to drive in a run and make it 2-0. The Eagles broke things open in the third. Reibel led off with a single, and Slotman followed with a double to put runners in scoring position. Workman showed toughness at the plate throughout the game, getting hit by pitches twice—including once in the third to help load the bases. Buchanan then put the ball in play, leading to a fielder’s choice and an error that brought in two more runs, extending the lead to 4-0. Hudsonville continued to apply pressure in the fourth inning, adding key insurance runs. Rayla came around to score on a wild pitch, and Slotman capped off his big day with a sacrifice fly to push the lead to 6-0. Grandville managed to score two unearned runs in the fifth, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Eagles’ early surge and dominant pitching performance. Hudsonville’s complete effort on both sides of the ball secured a strong start to the doubleheader.