WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team split a double-header with Lewis University today (Mar. 9). Lewis topped SVSU in game one by a 1-0 final, while the Cardinals won game two in extra innings, 3-2. The Cardinals move to 2-7 on the year while Lewis is 5-2 overall on the season.
Game 1
Both squads found runs tough to come by in the first game as it quickly turned into a fast-paced pitcher's duel.
Despite being shutout in the first six innings facing a 1-0 deficit, the Cardinals stayed confident and started off the seventh inning as Kyle O'Boyle (Midland, Mich./Bullock Creek HS) posted one of his two hits in the contest. O'Boyle then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. However, Saginaw Valley was unable to capitalize on the scoring opportunity as Lewis took a 1-0 victory.
Carson Beauchaine (Fraser, Mich.) was strong on the mound for the Cardinals as he threw a complete game allowing just four hits and recording six strikeouts. The only run of the game came on a Lewis home run to left field in the sixth inning.
Game 2
The second game of the double-header was very similar to the first as starting pitchers dominated for much of the contest.
The Flyers would get on the scoreboard first as they posted runs in the third and fifth innings to take a 2-0 lead.
The Cardinal offense remained quiet until the seventh inning when Andy Orr (Utica, Mich.) ripped a leadoff doubled to right center field. Chet LaFave (Charlotte, Mich./Olney Central College) followed with a single to right center to plate Orr and bring SVSU within one, 2-1.
Two batters later, Ryan Ermers (Sterling Heights, Mich./Henry Ford II HS) singled on an 0-2 pitch to left center field, advancing Brad Schalk (Madison Heights, Mich./Bishop Foley HS) to third base with one out. Pinch-hitter Kyle Kaufmann (Saginaw, Mich./Valley Lutheran HS) would bring Schalk home after a sacrifice fly to center field to tie up the ballgame at 2-2, forcing extra innings.
After Lewis went down one-two-three inning in the top half of the eighth inning, Cam Wiechmann (Birch Run, Mich./Muskegon CC) was hit by a pitch to leadoff the eighth and put the winning run on board. Mike VanAlst (Clio, Mich.) continued the rally with a chopper over the second baseman to advance Wiechmann to second with no outs.
The Cardinals would get the game-winning RBI on a 1-0 pitch off the bat of O'Boyle with a single to right-center field to score Wiechmann and give the Cardinals the 3-2 victory.
Starting pitcher Mike Saunders (Mt. Morris, Mich./E.A. Johnson HS) picked up his first win of the year for the Cardinals by throwing all eight innings and recording seven strikeouts. Saunders gave up just two runs on four hits and two walks.
Saginaw Valley recorded 12 hits in the victory, including two each from Brandon Schwanz (Novi, Mich./Henry Ford CC), LaFave, Orr and VanAlst.
The Cardinals will finish out their 2012 Spring Trip as they take on Mansfield (Pa.) on Saturday in Auburndale for a double-header starting at 3:00 pm.