TIFFIN, Ohio. – The Saginaw Valley State baseball team lost a double-header today (March 18) to begin the 2009 GLIAC season. In the first game the Cardinals held off the the Dragons until the bottom of the ninth inning before falling, 2-1. In the second, Tiffin defeated Saginaw Valley in seven innings, 9-5.

Game one was a nail-biter of a game, the Cardinals fell behind 1-0 early, as Tiffin scored a run in the bottom of the first. The Cardinals wouldn’t be able to cut into that lead until the top of the sixth inning, when Ryan Webber (Clio, Mich.) smacked a lead-off home run – his second of the 2009 season.

In what ended up being a pitcher’s duel, the Cardinals managed seven hits off the Tiffin staff. Junior pitcher Kevin Kerner (Richmond, Mich.), made his third start of the young season, goin 5-1/3 innings giving up one run on eight hits and striking out three. Junior Jon Tibaudo (Harper Woods, Mich.) threw the final 3-2/3 innings allowing two hits and strikingout out one before Tiffin would scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

In Game two, Tiffin jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first, but the Cardinals would get on the scoreboard in the top of the second when freshman Jason Potts (Hartland, Mich.) was hit by a pitch. Sophomore Dustin Mayner (Gaines, Mich.) followed with a single putting runners on first and second for freshman Ryan Ermers (Utica, Mich.) who drew a one-out walk to load the bases. Junior Andy Ferriauolo (Perry, Mich.) would then become the second Cardinal to get hit by a pitch in the inning to drive in Potts.

In the bottom of the second, starting pitcher freshman Steve Janes (Chesterton, Ind.) would get the Dragons out 1-2-3, giving the Cardinals momentum going into the top half of the third inning. Junior Charlie Thomas would get the Cardinal started with a two-out single. He would advanced to second after junior Josh Kozuch (Bay City, Mich.) became the third Cardinal to be hit by a pitch in the game. After a Potts walk, Mayner ripped a single driving in two runs and giving the Cardinals the lead, 3-2.

But the lead didn’t last long, as Tiffin was able to put up three in the bottom of the third to go up 5-3. However, SVSU battled back in the next inning with two runs coming off a two-run double by Thomas to knot the score 5-5.

Tiffin would then buckle down on the Cardinals on defense and would get four runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 9-5 lead that would stand the rest of the game.

The losses drop the Cardinals’ record to 3-11 overall, and 0-2 in the GLIAC, while Tiffin improves to 5-10 overall, and 2-0 in the GLIAC. SVSU will look to get back on track against the University of Findlay this weekend, as the Oilers come to Cardinal Country for a double-header scheduled to get underway at 1 p.m. Saturday (March 21) and a single game set to start at noon on Sunday (March 22).