UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team battled into extra innings Sunday afternoon before falling 14-12 to Parkside. The Cardinals (14-11, 5-3 GLIAC) and Rangers (14-11, 3-5 GLIAC) split the weekend series 2-2. SVSU was down to their final out before Brady Carpenter (Oxford, Mich. / Oxford HS) hit a two-run home run to tie the game and force extras.
After the Rangers scored in the first, the Cardinals jumped out front by scoring four runs in the bottom half. After Aaron Bess (Boyne City, Mich. / Boyne City HS) was hit by a pitch and stole second, Buck Snabes (Boyne City, Mich. / Boyne City HS) brought him home with a sacrifice fly to even the score at 1-1. Jacob Pitt (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Catholic Central HS) then ripped a two-run triple to center, plating Ryan Jarvis (Macomb, Mich. / Dakota HS) and Lucas Mead (Gladwin, Mich. / Gladwin HS). Connor Cornwell (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Henry Ford II HS) followed with a sacrifice fly to cap the four-run frame and give SVSU a 4-1 lead.
Parkside answered with two runs in the second and tied the game on a solo homer from Joe Mrowiec in the fourth. Saginaw Valley regained the lead in the bottom half when Chase Miller (Walkerton, Ind. / John Glenn HS) reached on a fielding error that allowed Cornwell to score, making it 5-4.
The Rangers went back in front in the fifth, but the Cardinals responded again. Carpenter was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in Jarvis and tie the game at 6-6. In the sixth, Pitt delivered once more with an RBI single down the right field line to score Ethan Scheib (Mattawan, Mich. / Mattawan HS) and put SVSU ahead 7-6. An inning later, Carpenter singled and stole second before Miller laced an RBI single to left center to extend the lead to 8-6.
Parkside chipped away with a run in the eighth and then surged ahead with three runs in the ninth, taking a 10-8 advantage. Down to their final outs, the Cardinals answered in dramatic fashion. Mitchell Walters (Shepherd, Mich. / Shepherd HS) reached on an error, and Carpenter crushed a two-run home run to left center to tie the game at 10-10. Then, Miller almost won it before a leaping grab at the wall in left center recorded the final out of the inning.
In the 10th, Parkside capitalized on a bunt and a throwing error before Mrowiec launched his second home run of the day, a two-run shot to right center, giving the Rangers a 14-10 lead.
Saginaw Valley mounted one final rally. Bess doubled down the right field line and Scheib followed with a double to put two in scoring position. Jarvis singled to right center to score Bess, and Snabes drove in Scheib on a fielder's choice to cut the deficit to 14-12. The comeback attempt fell just short as Parkside secured the final out.
Offensively, Jarvis led the Cardinals with three hits and an RBI, while Pitt drove in three, including his two-run triple in the first. Carpenter finished with a home run and three RBI, and Bess added a double as SVSU totaled 13 hits and 12 runs in the loss.
Jack Sequin (Bay City, Mich. / Bay City Western HS) started on the mound, allowing six runs over 4.2 innings with four strikeouts. Andrew Pohlmann (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Grandville HS) and Brady Young (Vicksburg, Mich. / Vicksburg HS) combined for 3.1 innings of relief before Steve Getts (L, 1-2) (Walled Lake, Mich. / Walled Lake Central HS) was charged with the loss. Ethan Marshall (Marlette, Mich. / Marlette HS) and Henry Stempky (Cheboygan, Mich. / Cheboygan HS) closed out the final inning of work as the Cardinals battled through a 10-inning contest.
Carson Klaus (W, 1-1) earned the win as the pitcher of record when Parkside took the lead in the 10th. He pitched 3.2 innings allowing three runs, one earned on four hits and a walk while striking out five. Kyler Kennen (Sv, 1) earned the save as he recorded the final out of the game.
Up Next: Saginaw Valley is back home on Tuesday, March 31. The Cardinals host the Northwood Timberwolves for a midweek match up. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 PM at the SVSU Baseball Complex.
