UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team posted a split with rival Northwood University (15-18, 8-13 GLIAC) on Wednesday afternoon. SVSU lost the first game by a score of 9-3 before bouncing back for a 7-6 walk-off victory in the nightcap. The split puts the Cardinals at 13-16 overall on the season and 9-10 in the GLIAC.
Game One
The Timberwolves got on the board first, plating four runs in the top of the second inning to take the advantage. They would add a single run in the top of four and four more in their half of the fifth to lead 9-0 heading into the bottom of five.
SVSU would put one run on the scoreboard in its half of the fifth, as Chase Coulter (Clio, Mich./Powers Catholic HS) would score on a balk.
The Cardinals would add two more runs in the bottom of seven. A two-RBI single by Kevin Dore (Kawkawlin, Mich./Muskegon CC) scored Coulter, who singled, and Eric Burt (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage HS), who reached on a walk. That would be all the scoring for the Cards, though, as Northwood closed-out for the 9-3 victory.
Jon Tibaudo (Harper Woods, Mich./Grosse Pointe North HS) took the loss on the hill, allowing five runs on six hits while striking-out three.
Coulter and Josh Peterson (Midland, Mich./Bullock Creek HS) each went 2-for-3 in the opener, with Coulter scoring a pair of runs. Dore had a hit and two RBI's, while Ryan Ermers (Sterling Heights, Mich./Henry Ford II HS), Ryan Webber (Clio, Mich./Powers Catholic HS) and Charlie Thomas (Northville, Mich.) all added singles in the contest.
Game Two
The Cardinals scored first in the second game, putting a run on the board in the bottom of the second. A single by Burt scored Mike VanAlst (Clio, Mich.), who reached on a single.
The Timberwolves would respond with a pair of runs in the top of three to take a one-run advantage.
Both teams would score single runs in the next two half innings, as Northwood led 3-2 heading into the fifth inning. They would score three more to take a 6-2 advantage in the top of five.
SVSU would cut the lead to one, scoring three runs in the bottom of the frame. Webber scored Peterson on an RBI single to get things going. Thomas would then lace a single to right field, scoring Coulter. Kyle O'Boyle (Midland, Mich./Bullock Creek HS) would score Webber on a single off the pitcher's leg, and the Cards narrowly missed another run, as Ermers was thrown-out at the plate on the play.
Trailing 6-5 heading into the last half-inning, the Cardinals would respond. With one out, Thomas got things going with a single, which was followed by an O'Boyle single to center field. Dustin Mayner (Gaines, Mich./Linden HS) would be hit by a 3-1 pitch, loading the bases for Matt Hunt (Howell, Mich./Concordia University). Hunt would turn around a 2-2 pitch into center field for a two-RBI single, which scored pinch-runner Scott Horman (St. Louis, Mich.) and O'Boyle, sending the Cardinals to a 7-6 walk-off victory.
Justin Drzewicki (Bay City, Mich./Central HS) collected the win, working 1/3 innings of relief in the top of the seventh inning.
Thomas was 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and an RBI, while Webber also had two hits with a double and a pair of RBI's. O'Boyle added two hits and an RBI as well for SVSU.
SVSU plays host to the Hillsdale College Chargers (8-24, 5-16 GLIAC) for a three game weekend series, which will begin with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1:00 pm. The two teams will play a single nine inning contest on Sunday at noon.