UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw
Valley State University baseball team split a Great Lakes
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) double-header with
Wayne State today (April 28), taking game one by a score of 3-2 and
falling 9-4 in game two.
Game
One
The Cardinals scored all three runs of their runs in the bottom
of the second inning, as sophomore Matt Hunt (Howell,
Mich./Concordia University) hit a double to left center field,
advancing senior Charlie Thomas
(Northville, Mich./Northville HS) to third base. Thomas would
then score on a wild pitch, with Hunt advancing to third. Two
unearned runs would follow, as Hunt and senior Ryan Ermers (Sterling
Heights, Mich. /Henry Ford II HS) scored on an error by the second
baseman.
With a three-run lead, the Saginaw Valley defense only allowed
one run in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, to seal the
3-2 victory.
Hunt posted the only extra base hit for SVSU with his double in
the bottom of the second. Thomas, Ryan Webber (Clio,
Mich./Powers Catholic HS) and Kyle O'Boyle
(Midland, Mich./Bullock Creek HS) all added singles in the contest
as well.
Sophomore Colin Coulter (Clio,
Mich./Powers Catholic HS) improved to 3-1 on the mound for the
Cardinals, throwing six complete innings, recording five
strike-outs. Freshman Justin Drzewicki
(Bay City, Mich./Bay City Central HS) pitched a perfect seventh for
his third save of the season.
Game
Two
Trailing 2-0 after the top of the second, Saginaw Valley would
again strike in its half of the second inning, posting three runs
in the bottom of the frame to take a one run lead. Sophomore Drew Woock
(Saginaw, Mich./Heritage HS) got things started for the Cardinals,
hitting a two-out double to right field. Woock would then
score, as senior Chase Coulter (Clio,
Mich./Powers Catholic HS) reached on a Warrior error. Junior
Dustin
Mayner (Gaines, Mich./Linden HS) would then single through the
left side to advance Coulter to second just before senior Josh Peterson
(Midland, Mich./Bullock Creek HS) plated Coulter on a single to
right field. Mayner would score on a Hunt infield single to
close-out the scoring for the inning.
The Cardinals scored their fourth run in the fourth inning,
increasing the lead to two over Wayne State, as Coulter scored on a
Kevin Dore
(Kawkawlin, Mich./Bay City Western) single down the left field
line. The Saginaw Valley defense, however, could not tame the
Warrior bats, as Wayne State would go on to score three runs in the
top of the fifth inning and posted a four-run seventh inning to
clinch the five run victory.
Peterson ended the game with two hits in four plate appearances
with one double and an RBI while Coulter added two runs on two hits
in the contest. Both Hunt and Dore each picked up an RBI while
O'Boyle and Woock added doubles on the afternoon.
With the split, the Cardinals move to 18-20 on the season and
14-14 in GLIAC play while Wayne State is now 28-16 overall on the
season and 22-6 in the GLIAC. Saginaw Valley will return to
action this Saturday (May 1), as they travel to Midland, Mich. to
take on the Timberwolves of Northwood University (22-24 overall,
12-18 GLIAC) for a doubleheader at Dow Diamond on Saturday at 4:00
pm. The Cardinals and Timberwolves will then finish the
weekend with a nine-inning game on Sunday (May 2) at noon at
Northwood University.
