UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw
Valley State University baseball team dropped a pair of games to
#18-ranked Ashland University today (March 28), 10-4 and 9-3.
Game 1
Ashland got out to a quick 6-0 lead in the first inning before the
Cardinal bats were activated in the bottom of the second. Junior
Josh Peterson (Midland, Mich.) started the scoring with a single to
left field before freshman Mike VanAlst (Clio, Mich.) hit a single
up the middle, advancing Peterson to second. Freshman Jason Potts
(Hartland, Mich.) would load the bases with a single to left field.
Peterson would then score on a wild pitch, followed by a ground out
RBI off the bat of freshman Steve Pistono (Sterling Heights, Mich.)
scoring VanAlst. Senior Kevin Schwedler (Midland, Mich.) stepped
into the batter’s box and singled to right field, advancing
Potts to third base before junior Kevin Dore (Bay City, Mich.)
knocked in Potts on a single through the left side, making the
score 6-3.
Saginaw Valley would add one more run in the third inning, as
Potts would pick up an RBI; scoring junior Ryan Webber (Clio,
Mich.). However this would end the Cardinal scoring for the game as
Ashland would go on to win, 10-4.
Game 2
Ashland would start off just as hot as they were in the first game
by picking up four runs in the top of the first inning on their way
to a 7 run lead by the fourth.
The Cardinals, however, would get on the board in the sixth inning
starting off with a Peterson walk, followed by a pop-out to third
base off the bat of VanAlst. Sophomore Dustin Mayner (Gaines,
Mich.) would draw a walk to advance Peterson to second base before
Potts would reach first on a throwing error by the first baseman,
advancing Peterson and Mayner to third and second, respectively.
Freshman Steve Bateson (Blissfield, Mich.) would step into the game
and pinch run for Potts, as junior Chase Coulter (Clio, Mich.)
would drive in one run as he singled to left field and would also
move Bateson to second and Mayner to third. Freshman Dan Norton
(Grand Rapids, Mich.) would enter the line-up to pinch-hit for
Dore. Norton would reach on a fielder’s choice, scoring
Mayner and Bateson and advancing Coulter to third base, ending the
Cardinal threat at three runs in the sixth inning.
Ashland would go on to score two more runs in the seventh inning
to cap the scoring for the game at 9-3.
With the two losses, Saginaw Valley falls to 7-14 overall, 4-5 in
the GLIAC while Ashland improves to 20-7 overall, 5-1 in the GLIAC.
These teams are scheduled to meet again Sunday (March 29) at noon
in a single nine inning contest.