CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team had an afternoon matchup with Oakland City University on Wednesday (Mar. 5), as the Cardinals squared-off against the Mighty Oaks for the second time in three days. SVSU avenged Monday's loss to OCU however, using 14 hits to post a 5-4 victory in the 2014 Clearwater Invitational.
SVSU put the game's first run on the board in the bottom of the second inning when an RBI single from freshman Connor Foley would score junior Chris Perkovich. A Tyler Schwanz RBI single in the bottom of the third inning plated junior Brad Schalk, extending the lead to 2-0.
The Cards would score single runs in the fifth and sixth innings as well to make the score 4-0. With two outs and guys on second and third after a Schwanz sacrifice bunt, a wild pitch would score Schalk to mark the game's third run. The fourth came on a Schalk single to center field that scored Foley.
Oakland City cut the deficit to 4-2 with a pair of runs in its half of the seventh inning.
Saginaw Valley responded in the bottom half of the frame with what would prove to be the game-winner. After a throwing error allowed Perkovich to reach second, he would be moved over to third on a deep fly-out from sophomore Richard Guglielmi. Foley stepped in next, ripping a two-out RBI single between third and short, scoring Perkovich to make the score 5-2.
OCU came out in the top of the ninth and put the pressure on, scoring two runs to make the score 5-4. With guys on first and second and two outs though, junior Jeff Schalk struck the last batter out to seal the victory. Schalk worked the final two innings for SVSU, picking-up his second save in as many days.
The victory on the hill went to senior Pete Baumgartner, who tossed 7.0 innings. Baumgartner scattered seven hits, allowing two runs while facing 30 batters. It was his first-career collegiate victory.
Five different Cardinals had at least two hits as part of the 14-hit attack, led by Foley with his 3-for-3 performance with two RBIs and a run scored.
Schalk had a pair of hits, an RBI and two runs scored. Guglielmi, sophomore Niko Gonzalez and sophomore Dylin Eschenburg all added two hits as well. Both of Guglielmi's base knocks were doubles. Perkovich scored twice for SVSU.
The victory evens SV's record at 3-3 on the season while the Oaks fall ot 1-3 overall. Saginaw Valley takes Thursday off before playing a doubleheader against nationally #2-ranked Minnesota State-Mankato. First pitch is set for 10:00 am against last year's national runners-up.
