AUGUSTA, Ga. - The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team continued its non-conference schedule on Tuesday with a doubleheader against Augusta University and Shorter University at Lake Olmstead Stadium in Georgia. The Cardinals fell in the opener to the Jaguars by a 10-7 count before dropping the nightcap to the Hawks by a score of 6-1.
Game One - Augusta
Saginaw Valley scored first for the fifth consecutive game in the top half of the first with an RBI single off the bat of Chad Carson. His base hit drove home Derrek Clyde and gave SVSU an early 1-0 lead.
The Jaguars responded with five runs in the bottom half of the first, taking a 5-1 lead.
SVSU would cut into the deficit in the next half inning after a pair of base hits from Adam Fitzgibbon and Collin Winters scored Connor Sonnier and Jordan Swiss. The RBI singles made the score 5-3 in favor of Augusta heading into the bottom of the second.
The Jaguars were held off the scoreboard in the bottom of the second, but then tacked on three runs in the third inning and two more runs in the fourth to jump ahead 10-3 in the contest.
Augusta held the Cardinals scoreless for the next two innings and still held a seven-run edge heading into the top of the seventh inning.
SVSU started off the seventh with a single from Mason Schwellenbach. He would score on the next at-bat as Clyde roped a ball into left center field for an RBI triple. Clyde would be brought home by Nate Blackwell, whose RBI single made the score 10-5. Blackwell then crossed home for the Cardinals after Gerrit Eding recorded a pinch-hit RBI single. SVSU tacked on another run when Garrett Soule crossed home on a wild pitch, cutting the deficit to just three runs at 10-7.
The Cardinals would then strike out and get thrown out on an attempted steal at second base and dropped Game 1 by that final score of 10-7.
Inside the Boxscore
- SVSU out-hit the Jaguars, 14-9. A total of 12 different Cardinals recorded a base hit, with five pinch-hitters reaching base as well.
- Derrek Clyde went 2-for-3 from with a double, triple, an RBI and two runs scored.
- Clyde would have the only multi-hit game for the Cardinals as well as multiple runs scored.
- Adam Fitzgibbon, Nate Blackwell, Chad Carson, Collin Winters and Gerrit Eding also drove-in runs for SVSU.
- Jason Clark (0-1) suffered the loss on the mound for SVSU in his first start. He lasted three innings and gave up eight runs on eight hits with three strikeouts.
Game Two - Shorter
The Cardinals were the designated home team to start the nightcap and were held scoreless in the first inning for the first time in five games.
After no runs were scored in the first inning, Shorter broke the scoreless tie in the following frame. The Hawks scored the game's first run on a wild pitch and added another with a sacrifice fly RBI. Shorter would then carry the lead into the fourth inning after being held off the board in the third.
SVSU countered a Shorter run in the top half of the third inning with a run of its own. The Cardinals cut the deficit to 3-1 after Craig Wilson reached base on an error, bringing home Chad Carson. SVSU trailed by two heading into the fifth inning and would not add any more runs on the board.
The Hawks then took over in the contest with a pair of runs scored in the fifth inning and one more in the sixth. The insurance runs gave Shorter a 6-1 lead and the Hawks pitchers would close the door on SVSU, handing them the loss in the second game of the doubleheader.
Inside the Boxscore
- Chad Carson scored SVSU's only run of the game and finished 2-for-4 at the plate.
- Adam Fitzgibbon, Craig Wilson and Mason Swellenbach also notched a base hit for the Cardinals, who were held to just five hits in the loss.
- Tristan Faunce (0-1) took the loss for the Cardinals in Game 2. He went 4.1 innings on the mound for SVSU and allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and had two strikeouts.
- Jake Tarbell and Tyler Stambaugh pitched in relief for SVSU.
Up Next...
SVSU takes to the field on Wednesday afternoon, completing a quick two-game series with the Shorter Hawks at Lake Olmstead Stadium. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. in Augusta, Georgia.
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