UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team responded in a big way on Saturday, sweeping a GLIAC doubleheader against Parkside with a 6-5 walk-off win in game one and a 14-4 run-rule victory in game two. The Cardinals (14-10, 5-2) outhit the Rangers (13-11, 2-5) 26-17.
Game One: Cardinals 6, Rangers 5 (7-innings)
Saginaw Valley struck first in the opening inning. Aaron Bess (Boyne City, Mich. / Boyne City HS) worked a leadoff walk and moved to third on a double from Lucas Mead (Gladwin, Mich. / Gladwin HS) before Ryan Jarvis (Macomb, Mich. / Dakota HS) lifted a sacrifice fly to right to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.
Buck Snabes (Rochester, Mich. / Rochester Adams HS) extended the lead in the third with a solo home run to center field, making it 2-0 . After Parkside tied the game with a pair of runs in the fifth, the Cardinals answered in the bottom half. Jarvis was hit by a pitch and Snabes singled before Jacob Pitt (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Catholic Central HS) was plunked to load the bases. Austin Cicerone (Troy, Mich. / Troy HS) was then hit by a pitch to force in the go-ahead run and put SVSU back in front, 3-2.
The Cardinals added two more in the sixth. Chase Miller (Walkerton, Ind. / John Glenn HS) walked and later scored on an RBI single from Jarvis. After Snabes singled, Cicerone drew a bases-loaded walk to push the advantage to 5-2.
Parkside rallied in the seventh with a two-run homer and a two-RBI single to even the score at 5-5, but Saginaw Valley had the final answer. In the bottom of the seventh, Miller walked and Bess doubled to center to put runners at second and third. Jarvis delivered again with a single to right center, scoring Miller to walk off with a 6-5 victory.
Jarvis finished 2-for-3 with three RBI, while Snabes went 3-for-4 with a homer and an RBI. Bess doubled and scored, and Cicerone drove in two as SVSU totaled nine hits.
On the mound, Jack Decker (Farmington Hills, Mich. / North Farmington HS) tossed 6.2 innings, striking out nine while allowing five runs on nine hits . Steve Getts (W, 1-1) (Walled Lake, Mich. / Walled Lake Central HS) came on to record the final out and secure the win.
Game Two: Cardinals 14, Rangers 4 (8-innings)
The nightcap was all Cardinals from the start. Saginaw Valley erupted for seven runs in the first inning, sending 12 men to the plate. Mead drove in the first run with a groundout before Pitt roped a two-run double to left center. Mitchell Walters (Shepherd, Mich. / Shepherd HS) and Brady Carpenter (Oxford, Mich. / Oxford HS) followed with RBI doubles, and Bess capped the frame with an RBI single to give SVSU a commanding 7-0 lead.
Parkside chipped away with two runs in the second and two more in the third, but the Cardinals kept their foot on the gas. Carpenter doubled home a run in the fifth, and Jarvis blasted a two-run homer to left center in the sixth to extend the lead to 10-4.
Saginaw Valley put the game out of reach in the eighth. Jarvis singled up the middle to score Mead, Pitt followed with a two-run home run, and Carpenter added his fourth double of the game to drive in Zane Wilson (Clarkston, Mich. / Orchard Lake St. Mary's) for the 14-4 run-rule victory.
Jarvis had a monster performance, going 4-for-4 with a home run and three RBI along with walking once to be on base all five times. Pitt drove in four, Carpenter finished 4-for-5 with four doubles and three RBI, and Bess added two hits as the Cardinals pounded out 17 hits.
On the mound, Dan Wilcome (W, 1-2) (Cheboygan, Mich. / Cheboygan Area HS) earned the win with five scoreless innings of relief, allowing four hits and striking out five after entering in the fourth inning . Sam Briggs (Linwood, Mich. / Standish HS) and Brayden Simmon (Auburn, Mich. / Bay City Western HS) combined for the first three innings before Wilcome shut the door the rest of the way.
Up Next: Saginaw Valley concludes its weekend series against Parkside on Sunday. The Cardinals and Rangers are set for first pitch at 12:00 PM at the SVSU Baseball Complex.
