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O'Boyle, Perkovich Lift Cardinals to 6-2 Victory at ODU; Drzewicki Dominates Late Innings

O'Boyle, Perkovich Lift Cardinals to 6-2 Victory at ODU; Drzewicki Dominates Late Innings

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team picked up a much-needed 6-2 victory on Friday (March 29) on the road at Ohio Dominican University. The win snapped a six-game losing streak for SVSU.

The Cardinals (3-11, 1-3 GLIAC) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when senior Kyle O'Boyle (Midland, Mich. / Bullock Creek) blasted a two-out, solo home run over the left field wall. The deep fly was O'Boyle's first of the year and 15th career homer at Saginaw Valley.

In the second and third innings, the Panthers (8-12, 4-2 GLIAC) strung together consecutive hits with two outs but the Cardinals were able to get out of both innings unscathed.

Freshman Brendon Hayes (Livonia, Mich. / Stevenson), playing in his first collegiate contest, laced an RBI single up the middle in the top of the fourth inning to score Andy Orr (Utica, Mich.). Two batters later, Ryan Hotmer (Walbridge, Ohio / Lake) ripped a two-out, 2-RBI single down the right field line. Hayes and Chris Perkovich (Canton, Mich.) came around to touch home and give SVSU a 4-0 advantage after four innings.

Ohio Dominican responded by tacking on two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut the Cardinal lead to 4-2.

In the seventh inning, sophomore Chris Perkovich crushed a two-out, 2-RBI home run over the left field wall to push the SVSU lead to 6-2 as he plated O'Boyle, who doubled to start off the frame. Perkovich's homer was his second of the season and third of his young career.

Justin Drzewicki (Bay City, Mich. / Central) would shut down the ODU offense in the late innings to give Saginaw Valley the 6-2 victory. Drzewicki earned his first save of the year (14th career) by dominating the final four innings (77 pitches) giving up just three hits while striking out five Panthers.

Starting pitcher Mike Schaaf (Saginaw, Mich. / Arthur Hill) picked up the victory on the mound for SVSU as he allowed two earned in five innings of work (72 pitches) in his first start of the season.

Chris Perkovich led the SVSU offense with a career-high three hits (3-for-5), including the momentous home run in the fourth inning. Overall, the Cardinal bats compiled 11 hits, their second highest total of the year.

SVSU Baseball will be back in action again tomorrow to wrap up the Ohio Dominican weekend series with a doubleheader starting at noon.