FINDLAY, Ohio - The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team fell twice on the road at the University of Findlay on Sunday afternoon (4/3). The Cardinals fell to the Oilers by a score of 4-1 in the opener before dropping the nightcap by a 6-2 count. The losses drop SVSU to 8-11 overall on the season and 4-4 in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play. The Oilers improve to 4-15-1 overall with the victories and 2-8 in league play.
Saginaw Valley jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the opener, when an RBI single by Kyle O'Boyle (Midland, Mich./Bullock Creek HS) scored Ryan Ermers (Sterling Heights, Mich./Ford II HS), who walked to reach base.
The Oilers responded with single runs in the third and fourth and a pair of runs in the fifth to take a 4-1 lead. That is where the score would stand, as the Cardinals couldn't score any more runs in the game.
Matt Hunt (Howell, Mich./Concordia University) and Chet LaFave (Charlotte, Mich./Olney Central College) each had two hits in the contest, including a double for Hunt.
Mike Saunders (Mt. Morris, Mich./EA Johnson HS) took the loss on the hill to drop to 2-2 on the season. Saunders worked five innings, giving up nine hits and striking-out three Oilers.
In the second game, Findlay held a 2-0 advantage after scoring single runs in the second and third innings, respectively. SVSU knotted things up, posting two runs in the top of the fifth inning on a single by Ermers, which scored Hunt and Dan Norton (Grand Rapids, Mich./Catholic Central HS). The Oilers plated four runs in the bottom of the sixth to make the score 6-2, which is where it would remain.
Ermers had two of the Cardinals' six total hits in the nightcap and both RBI's. LaFave added a double while Dustin Mayner (Gaines, Mich./Linden HS) and Mike VanAlst (Clio, Mich.) each added singles.
Scott Horman (St. Louis, Mich.) fell to 1-2 on the year with the loss on the mound after pitching 5 2/3 innings, giving up five hits and posting four strikeouts.
The Cardinals are tentatively scheduled to play again at home against Northwood University on Wednesday (4/6). The doubleheader is set to begin at 2 p.m. in University Center.
