UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – In game that
was delayed two hours due to wet field conditions, the Saginaw
Valley State baseball team showed no signs of being waterlogged
today (March 29) as they decisively beat #2-ranked Ashland
University, 10-5, in a game that was called in the bottom of the
eighth inning due to inclement weather.
The Cardinals jumped out to a five run lead over Ashland by the
second inning. The scoring started in the bottom of the first
inning as freshman Ryan Ermers (Utica, Mich.) and junior Chase
Coulter (Clio, Mich.) drew walks to put the first two Cardinal
runners on base. After Ermers was picked off at second, junior
Charlie Thomas (Northville, Mich.) singled to the left side to move
Coulter to second. Both runners advanced bases on a pass ball
before junior Ryan Webber (Clio, Mich.) and junior Josh Peterson
(Midland, Mich.) walked to force Coulter home for the first run of
the game. Freshman Mike VanAlst (Clio, Mich.) would draw another
walk forcing Thomas in as the bases remained loaded for freshman
Jason Potts (Hartland, Mich.) who hit a sacrifice fly to left
field, driving in Webber. VanAlst and Peterson would advance to
second and third, respectively on a balk, putting runners in
scoring position with two outs before Ashland would pick up the
final out of the inning.
The bats kept rolling through the second inning as the Cardinals
put two more on the scoreboard to jump out to a quick 5-0 lead.
Ermers drew a one-out walk before advancing to second on a Coulter
single through the left side. Thomas reached first on an error by
the left fielder, moving Ermers and Coulter to second and third
bases. Webber would then reach on a fielder’s choice to put
Thomas and Coulter on second and third bases while scoring Ermers
on a throwing error by the pitcher. Peterson would follow with a
walk to score Coulter and load the bases for VanAlst. After an
Eagle pitching change, VanAlst would reach first on a
fielder’s choice as Thomas was called out at home plate.
Ashland would score four runs in the top of the third inning to
come within one, 5-4.
Sophomore Dustin Mayner (Gaines, Mich.) would lead off the third
inning by smashing a homerun over the left field fence to continue
an offensive explosion by the Cardinals. Senior Kevin Schwedler
(Midland, Mich.) would follow with a stand-up double to left center
field before Ermers would reach second on a throwing error by the
Eagle’s shortstop, advancing Schwedler to third base. With
one out, Thomas would double to center field driving in Schwedler
and Ermers. After Webber walked and Peterson flew out to the
shortstop, VanAlst reached first on an error by the Eagle’s
shortstop and advanced to second on the throw, scoring both Webber
and Thomas. Potts grounded out to the first baseman to end the
Cardinal scoring.
Ashland would add one more in the top of the fifth inning to close
the scoring for the game.
Junior Scott Haase (Mt. Pleasant, Mich.) threw four innings,
allowed five runs while striking out one before freshman Steve
Pistono (Sterling Heights, Mich.) took over on the mound, allowing
no runs, two hits and striking out three batters before the game
was called in the bottom of the eighth inning due to weather.
With the win, Saginaw Valley improves to 8-14 overall, 5-5 in the
GLIAC while the Eagles fall to 20-8 overall, 5-2 in the GLIAC. The
Cardinals will return to action April 1 for two games in Findlay,
Ohio.