ASHLAND, Ohio -- The Cardinal Baseball team fell twice on the road to Ashland University on Sunday in GLIAC action. SVSU dropped the first game, which was a continuation from Friday's halted contest, by a final score of 10-8. Ashland would take the second game as well, walking-off with a 7-5 victory.
Game 1
The Cardinals began the contest with a 6-2 lead after three innings of play and would extend that to 8-2 with single runs in the top of the 4th anf 5th innings, respectively. A Jordan Swiss RBI double in the 4th scored Cole Brooks and the 5th saw an RBI single from Gerrit Eding that plated Dean Marais.
The Eagles scored four runs in the home half of the 7th inning, all being unearned, to cut the deficit to 8-6. Four more would come in the 8th, giving the home team a 10-8 edge.
That count proved to be the final, as the Cardinals went down in order in the top of the 9th and Ashland secured the victory.
Derrek Clyde finished the game 3-5 with an RBI. Marais was 2-5 with a pair of RBI and two runs scored. Adam Fitzgibbon was 2-5 as well with a run while Eding had a hit and two RBI. Swiss had the only extra-base hit with a double. He had an RBI and run scored.
On the mound, Amani Godfrey worked 7.1 innings while allowing four earned runs. He struck-out seven batters. Caleb Sommerville (1-2) took the loss, tossing 1.2 innings and allowing two runs on five hits with a strikeout.
Game 2
SVSU responded to a pair of Ashland runs in the 1st with a trio of them in the top of the 2nd, taking a 3-2 lead. Marais doubled and was brought home by Craig Wilson for the first run. Cole Brooks scored later on a balk and Clyde drove-in Andrew Burke with an RBI single.
The Eagles got back on top quickly after that, scoring two runs in the 3rd to take the lead back at 4-3.
A single run in the bottom of the 7th for Ashland made the count 5-3 but the Cardinals responded with more offense.
Saginaw Valley got a Todd Paperd RBI single that pushed Marais across in the top of the 8th, trimming the deficit to 5-4. The visitors added another in hte 9th, using a Wilson RBI on a fielder's choice that scored Fitzgibbon to knot the score at 5-5.
Ashland's Matt Littrell, however, ended up hitting a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th, giving Ashland the 7-5 win and series sweep.
Swiss was 3-5 in game two while Wilson went 2-5 with a pair of RBI. Marais had three hits in four trips, scoring a pair of runs with a walk and a double. Paperd went 2-4 with an RBI while Clyde had a hit and RBI as well.
Brandon Wise got the start, pitching 6.0 innings. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits with three walks. Jacob Crossan had an inning of relief, giving up a run on three hits. Swiss (0-1) took the loss, pitching the final 1.1 innings. He allowed the two runs on two hits, striking-out a pair of batters as well.
Up Next...
Saginaw Valley is set to host Rochester College Tuesday (Apr. 10) in a non-conference tilt. First pitch is slated for 2:00 p.m. at the SVSU Baseball Complex.
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