WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team lost to No. 16 Minnesota State-Mankato today (Mar. 8), 10-3. The loss drops the Cardinals to 1-6 on the season, while the Mavericks are now 9-3 overall.

The Cardinals jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first as Mike VanAlst (Clio, Mich.) drove a 2-1 pitch to left center field to score Michael Craig (Milan, Mich.). On the next pitch, Jason Potts (Hartland, Mich.) ripped an RBI single up the middle to plate Kyle O'Boyle (Midland, Mich./Bullock Creek HS) giving SVSU a 2-0 advantage.

Both squads were unable to push runners across the plate until Mankato State posted six runs in the top half of the fourth inning to go ahead 6-2.

The Mavericks increased their lead to 8-2 in the fifth before SVSU recorded their final run as Kyle Parks (Flushing, Mich.) scored on a bases-loaded fielder's choice double play.

The Cardinals were unable regain momentum the rest of the way as they lost by a final score of 10-3.

Freshman starting pitcher Jeff Schalk (Madison Heights, Mich./Bishop Foley HS) was the pitcher of record for the Cardinals throwing 3 2/3 innings and giving up six runs, only one of which was earned.

SVSU recorded 11 hits on the afternoon, including three from Brandon Schwanz (Novi, Mich./Henry Ford CC) who was 3-for-3 in the contest and two from Ryan Ermers (Sterling Heights, Mich./Henry Ford II HS).

Saginaw Valley will be back in action early Friday morning when they battle Lewis University for a double-header in Winter Haven. First pitch is scheduled for 9:00 am.