PAINESVILLE, Ohio – The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team split with Lake Erie today, falling 3-2 in nine innings, before defeating the Storm 5-4 in the nightcap. With the win the Cardinals are 21-19 overall on the season and 17-11 in the GLIAC, while Lake Erie moves to 23-19 overall on the season and 19-9 in the GLIAC.
Game 1
Saginaw Valley took a quick 1-0 lead over the Storm when Andy Orr (Utica, Mich.) drove a two out double down the left field line and came around to score when Cam Wiechmann (Birch Run, Mich./Muskegon CC) singled up the middle.
Lake Erie took a 2-1 lead over the Cardinals when they scored two runs on three hits and capitalized on one SVSU error.
The Cardinals knotted the score at 2-2 in the top of the seventh inning when Brad Schalk (Sterling Heights, Mich./Bishop Foley HS) hit a leadoff double to center field and touched home when senior Matt Hunt (Howell, Mich./Concordia University) hit a deep sacrifice fly to center.
Neither the Storm nor the Cardinals were able to score another run in the seventh inning sending the contest into extra innings.
Lake Erie secured the win in the bottom of the ninth inning when they scored one run on two hits and one SVSU error.
Andrew Tidwell (Canton, Mich.) suffered the loss for the Cardinals pitching one out in the ninth inning, while Mike Saunders (Mt. Morris, Mich./E.A. Johnson HS) pitched eight innings with nine strikeouts and only two walks. Orr led the way for Saginaw Valley going three-for-three at the plate and scored once, while Wiechmann was three-for-four at the plate with one run batted in.
Game 2
Lake Erie would get the early jump start over the Cardinals in game two as the scored one run in the bottom of the first inning on two hits.
Saginaw Valley knotted the score at 1-1 in the top of the third inning when Eric Burt (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage HS) drove a double to left field, scoring Mike VanAlst (Clio, Mich.).
The Storm regained their lead in the top of the third inning when Brayan Cacique picked up his second run batted in of the game, hitting a deep sacrifice fly to right field.
The Cardinals took their first lead of the contest when Ryan Ermers (Sterling Heights, Mich./Henry Ford II) hit a two run homerun over the right center fence, giving SVSU the 3-2 advantage.
Lake Erie would continue to battle knotting the score at 3-3 when they scored on a single up the middle.
The Cardinals would score all the runs they would need in the top of the sixth inning when Chet LaFave (Charlotte, Mich.) laced a double to left field, brining around two runs.
The Storm scored on more run in the bottom of the fifth inning, but it would not be enough as Saginaw Valley went on to a 5-4 victory over Lake Erie.
Justin Drzewicki (Bay City, Mich.) secured the win, pitching one inning, while Carson Beauchaine (Fraser, Mich.) threw four innings of work on the mound. Mike Schaaf (Saginaw, Mich./Arthur Hill HS) recorded one out for the Cardinals and Jeff Schalk (Sterling Heights, Mich./Bishop Foley HS) pitched 1.2 innings for the Cardinals.
Saginaw Valley will be back in action Sunday (Apr. 29) when they finish their weekend series against Lake Erie. First pitch is scheduled for noon.