UNIVERSITY CENTER, MICH. – The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team advanced to the NCAA Division II Baseball Midwest Regional Final after a 6-4 win over Northwood on day two of the tournament. The Cardinals (40-16) tied a program-high with 40 wins to extend the season for at least one more game.
Hayden Jatczak got the nod on the mound and went 7.0 innings to earn the win. Jatczak allowed four hits, two runs, and struck out five Timberwolves on the afternoon. Brandon Scheurer cleaned up the final two innings to secure the win for SVSU.
Jatczak reached second on a double to right field in the first inning to get into scoring position early. Colin Cornwell then singled to right field, putting runners on the corners. Jatczak crossed the plate on a groundout to give SVSU the 1-0 lead after one.
A solo homer to center field and a single put two runs on the board for Northwood and the Timberwolves climbed ahead, 2-1 with four innings played.
Cornwell singled to left field and would later score off a Reed Raymond single up the middle to start a five-run sixth inning. Austin Cicerone singled on a bunt and a throwing error by Northwood scored Schweiger. Jaccar Watkins then singled to left field and brought Raymond home for a 4-2 lead. Jeff Reseigh singled up the middle to score Cicerone and Connor McClennen singled off a bunt down the third-base line to score Watkins and the Cardinals enjoyed a 6-2 advantage with three innings left to play.
The Timberwolves made one final push in the ninth inning as they used four straight singles to put two runs on the board with two outs and runners on first and second base. A single through the right side loaded the bases, however, a runner got caught between second and third allowing Cicerone to get the final out with a tag on the base path and SVSU halted the rally two runs short.
Cornwell finished 3-for-5 with a run scored to help the Cardinals to the win. Jatczak, Cicerone, and Reseigh recorded two hits. Jatczak and Cicerone scored one run, while Reseigh tallied an RBI. Schweiger, Raymond, Watkins, and McClennen had a hit in the contest.
UP NEXT
Saginaw Valley State advances to the NCAA DII Baseball Midwest Regional Final and will face the winner between Ashland and Northwood tomorrow in a winner-take-all contest at approximately 2 PM EST.
