UNIVERSITY CENTER - The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team posted a walk-off victory in the second game of a Saturday GLIAC split with the Northwood Timberwolves at the SVSU Baseball Complex.
A bases-loaded walk to Garrett Soule with two outs in the bottom of the ninth sealed a 3-2 victory in the nightcap after a Carson Eby single off the pitcher tied the game at 2-2 and scored Dylan Schultz.
With the 1-1 day, the Cardinals move to 17-25 overall on the season and 9-15 in the GLIAC while Northwood is 22-20 and 12-12 in league action.
Game One
The Timberwolves went for three runs in the top of the second to grab a 3-0 edge. They would add two more in the visitor half of the fourth to push the lead out to 5-0.
SVSU responded by putting up a three-spot in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut the deficit to 5-3. The Cardinals scored first on a Brendan Harrison RBI double past the third baseman that scored Soule. Jordan Swiss then knocked an RBI single up the middle to plate Eby and an Adam Turner sac fly pushed Harrison across the plate.
Northwood added another pair of runs in its half of the sixth, making the score 7-3.
The Cardinals would get another final run in the bottom of the seventh when Turner had another sac fly to score Eby, putting the final score at 7-4.
Inside the Boxscore
- Swiss had two hits with an RBI for the Cardinals, who totaled six hits in the opener.
- Adam Fitzgibbon added a pair of hits as well for SVSU.
- Harrison had the RBI double while Eby had a hit, two runs and a pair of walks.
- Turner had the pair of RBIs on the sacrifice flies.
- Scott Sency (4-4) took the loss on the hill, tossing 6.0 innings while allowing seven runs on 10 hits and posting five strikeouts.
Game Two
NU took the lead first again, going for a single run in the top of the third to take the 1-0 advantage.
An Eby RBI single in the home half of the fifth inning tied the game at 1-1. He pushed Luke Valutis across for the Cardinals' first run of the game.
The Timberwolves would get an unearned run in the top of the seventh to make the score 2-1, which is where it remained heading into the bottom of the ninth inning.
Valutis got things rolling with a one-out single and pinch-runner Dylan Schultz moved to third on a Turner double. An intentional walk to Fitzgibbon loaded the bases with one out. Eby dug-in next and lined a grounder off the pitcher that trickled behind the mound for an infield hit and RBI that scored Schultz to tie the game at 2-2. After an infield fly, Soule was due next and he worked a 3-2 count and the next pitch would decide the game. That pitch missed just inside and allowed pinch-runner Craig Wilson to score from third base, sealing the 3-2 win.
Inside the Boxscore
- Three Cardinals registered two hits in the game, as Eby had two with a pair of RBIs to lead the way.
- Richard Guglielmi had two as well, as did Valutis with a run scored.
- Fitzbgibbon and Harrison had SVSU's other two hits.
- Soule had the game-winning RBI on his ninth-inning walk.
- Clayton Spiker got the start, figuring in on a no-decision after pitching 7.0 innings. He scattered seven hits, allowed just a single earned run and posted five strikeouts.
- Max Ludka (1-6) picked up his first career victory after working a scoreless final 2.0 innings. He had a strikeout and a walk while allowing no runs or hits.
Up Next...
The two teams will be back at it on Sunday (May 1), with another GLIAC doubleheader that is slated to begin at noon at the SVSU Baseball Complex.
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