CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team dropped its 2010 GLIAC Baseball Tournament opener to Wayne State University, 9-8.  The Cardinals, who were the #4 team, now are at 22-22 on the season while the Warriors improve to 30-18 overall.

SVSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead after plating a pair of runs in the top of the second, as a two-RBI single off the bat of Josh Peterson (Midland, Mich./Bullock Creek HS) scored Ryan Ermers (Sterling Heights, Mich./Henry Ford II HS) and Kyle O'Boyle (Midland, Mich./Bullock Creek HS). 

The Cardinals would extend the lead to 3-0 in the top of four, when Chase Coulter (Clio, Mich./Powers Catholic HS) doubled to get things going, and would eventually score following back-to-back infield singles by Kevin Dore (Kawkawlin, Mich./Muskegon CC) and Matt Hunt (Howell, Mich./Concordia University). 

The Warriors would score a single run in the bottom of the fourth, but the Cards would answer with another run in the top of five.  Dustin Mayner (Gaines, Mich./Linden HS) ripped an RBI single, which plated Charlie Thomas (Northville, Mich.), who reached on a walk, to give SVSU a 4-1 lead.

Saginaw would score another run in the sixth and another pair in the seventh, and would lead 7-5 after seven full innings of play.

The Warriors, however, would go on to put up a four-spot in the bottom of the eighth, and SVSU could only muster a single run in the top of nine, and ended up losing by the final 9-8 score.

Dore was 3-for-5 in the contest with an RBI, while Hunt, Coulter and Ryan Ermers all had two hits each. 

Craig Engerer (Freeland, Mich.) took the loss on the hill in relief, giving up four runs, none of which were earned, in the contest. 

SVSU will play tomorrow (May 7) in another 3:00 pm contest, against the loser of the #2 Grand Valley State and #3 Ashland contest, while Wayne State will face the winner in a noon contest.