KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team fell 8-7 to Missouri Southern State on Saturday, April 25. The Cardinals (23-21) got on top early but a five-run inning for the Lions (30-15) sealed the took the lead for good.
The Cardinals jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first despite not recording a hit. Aaron Bess (Boyne City, Mich. / Boyne City HS) was hit by a pitch, Lucas Mead (Gladwin, Mich. / Gladwin HS) and Ryan Jarvis (Macomb, Mich. / Dakota HS) each worked walks, and Jacob Pitt (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Catholic Central HS) drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home the first run. Ethan Scheib (Mattawan, Mich. / Mattawan HS) followed with another RBI walk, and Connor Cornwell (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Henry Ford II HS) reached on an error that allowed Jarvis to score for the early three-run cushion.
Missouri Southern answered immediately in the bottom half. After a double and a wild pitch moved a runner to third, a two-run homer to center cut the lead to one. Later in the inning, a three-run home run down the right-field line gave the Lions a 5-3 advantage.
Bess pulled the Cardinals within one in the second inning with a solo home run to right-center, his team-leading seventh of the season. The Lions responded again with a solo homer from in the bottom of the frame to make it 6-4.
Missouri Southern extended its lead to 8-4 with two runs in the third on a sacrifice fly and an RBI single.
Saginaw Valley chipped away in the fourth. Mead singled and later scored on a Jarvis base hit that was misplayed in right field. Pitt added an RBI fielder's choice to cut the deficit to 8-6. In the fifth, Mead doubled and came home on Jarvis' sacrifice fly, trimming the margin to 8-7.
The Cardinals had opportunities late, putting runners on in the eighth, but could not push across the tying run. Missouri Southern's bullpen closed out the final four innings to secure the win.
Jarvis finished 3-for-3 with an RBI and a sacrifice fly, while Mead added two hits and two runs scored. Bess accounted for a home run and three runs scored.
Sam Briggs (L, 0-2) (Linwood, Mich. / Standish HS) was tagged with the loss after allowing five runs in the first inning. Jack Decker (Farmington Hills, Mich. / North Farmington HS) provided 5.1 innings of relief, allowing three runs while striking out three, and Chase Raymond (Standish, Mich. / Standish Sterling Central HS) tossed two scoreless innings to keep SVSU within striking distance.
Up Next: Saginaw Valley baseball has one more non-conference game remaining. They play Truman State tomorrow, April 26 to conclude the weekend. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM ET from Bulldog Baseball Park in Kirksville, Missouri