DETROIT, Mich. - The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team swept Wayne State University today by scores of 10-6 and 7-3 in eight innings. The Cardinals move to 14-13 on the season and 11-5 in the GLIAC, while the Warriors go to 19-10 overall and 10-6 in the conference.
Game 1
The Cardinals jumped on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning with a two-out RBI single from Mike VanAlst (Clio, Mich.). The base hit plated Kyle O'Boyle (Midland, Mich./Bullock Creek HS) who doubled to left center with two outs to extend the inning and give SVSU the 1-0 edge.
Saginaw Valley posted three more runs on two hits in the top of the third inning. Chris Perkovich (Canton, Mich.) led off the third with a hit by pitch and was followed up by a Matt Hunt (Howell, Mich./Concordia University) single through the left side. With one out, Perkovich scored on a Wayne State fielding error to give SVSU a 2-0 lead. The next batter was Andy Orr (Utica, Mich.) who lined a single to right field, scoring Hunt. The Cardinal advantage stretched to 4-0 after Chet LaFave (Charlotte, Mich./Olney Central College) walked with the bases loaded to bring home O'Boyle, who was intentionally walked earlier in the inning.
The Warriors answered back in the bottom half of the third with two runs of their own to cut the SVSU lead to 4-2.
The Saginaw Valley offense continued their productivity as Brandon Schwanz (Novi, Mich./Henry Ford CC) notched a single to left field scoring Perkovich, who walked earlier in the frame. After a WSU pitching change, O'Boyle greeted the new pitcher with a two-RBI double to center field to plate Hunt and Schwanz as the Cardinals took a 7-2 lead.
Schwanz recorded another RBI in the top of the sixth as he drove home Perkovich on a base hit up the middle, giving SVSU the 8-2 advantage.
LaFave continued his strong start to the 2012 season by lacing a double to left field to score Orr in the top of the seventh. Cam Wiechmann (Birch Run, Mich./Muskegon CC) added another run with a single to left field, which scored LaFave to give SVSU a 10-2 lead.
Wayne State would rally in the bottom of the seventh but the Cardinals ultimately prevailed with the 10-6 win.
Starting pitcher Andrew Doyle (Grand Blanc, Mich./Powers Catholic HS) improved to 2-0 on the season for the Cardinals as he threw six strong innings allowing five hits and two runs, while striking out five batters.
O'Boyle and Schwanz recorded two RBI and two hits each, while LaFave drove home two runs in the Cardinal victory. The ten runs scored is a season-high for SVSU in conference play this season.
Game 2
Saginaw Valley faced a 1-0 deficit in the nightcap as they came to the plate looking for runs in the top of the third.
O'Boyle started the Cardinal scoring with a double down the left field line to score Hunt, who reached on a walk with one out in the inning. VanAlst was up next and he came through with an RBI single that scored Schwanz to give SVSU the 2-1 edge.
Wayne State posted a run in the bottom of the fifth inning to knot the score at 2-2 as the game would continue into extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, LaFave broke the tie with a triple to right center field. Two batters later, Ryan Ermers (Sterling Heights, Mich.) reached on a fielder's choice, resulting in a throwing error that scored LaFave. Hunt followed with an infield single to bring home Wiechmann to push the SVSU lead to 4-2.
However, the Saginaw Valley rally was not done yet as O'Boyle raked a two out, two RBI double down the left field line, scoring Hunt and Kyle Parks (Flushing, Mich.). VanAlst kept the inning going with a deep two-bagger to right center field, which plated O'Boyle to put the Cardinals ahead 7-2.
The Cardinals would give up one unearned run in the bottom of the eighth but came away with a 7-3 extra innings victory to give SVSU the sweep over Wayne State.
Freshman starting pitcher Scott Sency (Medina, Ohio) threw 5 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts while giving up just two runs in a no decision.
Justin Drzewicki (Bay City, Mich./Central HS) picked up the win for SVSU in relief as he pitched the Cardinals out of a bases loaded, no out jam in the bottom of the seventh as the Warriors threatened. Drzewicki picked up his first win of the season throwing 2 1/3 inning allowing three hits while striking out four batters.
O'Boyle led Saginaw Valley in game two with two hits and three RBI, while Schwanz went 2-for-3 with a run scored. VanAlst posted two hits and two RBI, while Hunt and LaFave added two hits each.
The Cardinals will return to action Thursday when they travel to Alma for a non-conference contest against the Scots at 3:00 p.m.