TIFFIN, Ohio - The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team split with Tiffin University today (May 5). SVSU took game one 3-1, but fell in game two 2-1. The split moves the Cardinals to 24-22 overall and 20-14 in the GLIAC, while the Dragons are 23-24 and 18-16 in the conference.
After Saturday (May 5), the Cardinals sit in fourth place in the GLIAC standings and have clinched a spot in the 2012 GLIAC Baseball Tournament. The top six advance with the top two getting first-round byes.
Click here for up-to-date GLIAC Standings
Game 1
Ryan Ermers (Sterling Heights, Mich./Henry Ford II HS) put the Cardinals on the scoreboard in the second inning with an RBI single to plate Cam Wiechmann (Birch Run, Mich./Muskegon CC) who ledoff the inning with a base hit.
SVSU would strike again in the top of the fifth inning as Brad Schalk (Sterling Heights, Mich./Bishop Foley HS) lined an RBI single up the middle scoring Ermers who started the rally with a double earlier in the inning.
The Dragons tacked on a run in the bottom half of the fifth inning to cut the Cardinal advantage to 2-1.
The Cardinals added one more run in the sixth thanks to a Chet LaFave (Charlotte, Mich./Charlotte HS) single which resulted in Brandon Schwanz (Novi, Mich./Henry Ford CC) scoring on an error by the right fielder giving SVSU the eventual 3-1 victory.
Saginaw Valley's starting pitcher Mike Saunders (Mt. Morris, Mich./E.A. Johnson HS) picked up his sixth win of the season as he continues to lead the GLIAC with the lowest earned run average. The complete game, two-hitter is Mike's seventh complete game of the year.
Saunders posted six strikeouts and allowed just one run, while recording 13 ground ball outs compared to only one fly ball out.
Game 2
Tiffin got out to a quick start picking up two runs, one unearned, in the first inning for the early 2-0 edge.
The Cardinals cut the deficit to one, 2-1, in the fourth inning when LaFave roped a single through the left side of the infield to score Wiechmann, who doubled earlier in the inning.
SVSU threatened to score in the fifth inning as they loaded the bases with no outs but could not capitalize on the opportunity. The Dragons staved off a late Cardinal comeback and took the 2-1 victory.
Carson Beauchaine (Fraser, Mich.) took the mound for the Cardinals in game two and picked up the loss despite only three hits and one earned run. Beauchaine threw all six innings recording two strikeouts.
Wiechmann led the Cardinal offense with two hits in the nightcap.
On the day, the Cardinal pitching staff allowed just five hits and two earned runs.
Saginaw Valley will finish out the regular season with a doubleheader at Tiffin starting at noon tomorrow (May 6).