CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - The Saginaw Valley State
University baseball team's season ended on Friday (May 7)
afternoon, as the Cardinals (22-23) lost in 11 innings to Grand
Valley State University (34-13) by a score of 10-9. The loss
marks the second-straight one run loss in the team's first GLIAC
Tournament appearance since the 2007 season.
The Cardinals were on the wrong end of a 5-0 deficit after four
innings, as the Lakers plated four runs in the first and one in the
bottom of the fourth. SVSU responded with two runs in the top
of the fifth, when Matt Hunt (Howell,
Mich./Concordia University) ripped a two-run double down the left
field line to score Kevin Dore (Kawkawlin,
Mich./Muskegon CC) and Chase Coulter (Clio,
Mich./Powers Catholic HS). The Lakers would add another run
in the bottom half of the frame, and take a 6-2 advantage.
Saginaw would score six runs in its half of the sixth. Charlie Thomas
(Northville, Mich.) led off the inning with a single, and was
driven-in when Ryan Ermers (Sterling
Heights, Mich./Henry Ford II HS) followed-up a Kyle O'Boyle
(Midland, Mich.) walk with an RBI double, which scored
Thomas. Coulter would then knock-in O'Boyle from third with a
single. A sacrifice fly by Josh Peterson
(Midland, Mich./Bullock Creek HS) would follow, which scored
Ermers. A couple batters later, Ryan Webber (Clio,
Mich./Powers Catholic HS) roped a three-RBI double, scoring Hunt,
Coulter and Dustin Mayner.
Grand Valley scored a single run in the bottom of seven, and
trailed by one heading into the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Cardinals threw out a runner at the plate for the second out of
the inning as well, as Saginaw gunned-out GV's Cory Phillips at the
plate, saving the game at that point, and helping send the contest
into extra innings at eight runs apiece.
The Cards scored a run in the top of the 11th inning, as Eric Burt (Saginaw,
Mich./Heritage HS) scored a run with two outs to take a 9-8
lead.
Grand Valley, however, scored two runs in the bottom half of the
frame to claim the 10-9 victory.
Coulter had three hits for the Cardinals in the contest, adding
two runs and an RBI. Webber was 2-for-6 with three RBIs,
while Ermers and Dore also added a pair of hits apiece.
Carson
Beauchaine (Fraser, Mich.) took the loss in relief, working 4.1
innings, giving up four runs on seven hits.
The Cardinals end the 2010 campaign with a 22-23 overall record.
