UNIVERSITY CENTER – The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team hosted Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division opponent Wayne State University in a mid-week, travel partner doubleheader at the SVSU Baseball Complex on Wednesday (Apr. 15).
The Cardinals defeated the Warriors by a score of 5-4 in the opener and the teams tied, 3-3 in the second game, which was called after 11 innings due to darkness.
The two teams are separated by a single game in the North Division standings, as the Warriors are #3 with a 6-5-1 divisional record while the Cards are now 5-6-1. SVSU's overall record now stands at 13-14-1 while Wayne State is 15-17-1. The last game will be continued if it has a bearing on who potentially would qualify for the GLIAC Tournament if the situation arises.
Wayne State got out to a 2-0 lead in the first game, scoring a pair in the top of the third inning to take the advantage.
The Cardinals responded with a single fun in the bottom of the third, cutting the deficit to 2-1. A Chad Carson single scored Austin Plasterer, who had reached earlier on an error. Carson was thrown trying to move up to second for the third out but the run had already crossed the plate before the third out.
The same sequence of runs played out in the fifth inning, with the Warriors plating two runs to make the score 4-1 and SVSU coming back with a run in the bottom of the frame to cut the lead in half at 4-2. Brendan Harrison had an infield single in the hole to the shortstop and the shortstop attempted a throw that sailed over the first baseman's head. That allowed Plasterer to score from second base for the home team's second run.
After SV held Wayne State scoreless in the top of the sixth, the Cards got a clutch bases-loaded, two-out double from Brad Schalk to plate three runs to grab the lead at 5-4. The hit scored Dylan Schultz, Plasterer and Chris Perkovich all scored on the bases-clearing hit.
SVSU closer D.J. Reetz came in for the seventh inning and closed things out after the Warriors got a runner to third base with two outs. He recorded his second save of the season in the effort.
Andrew Tidwell (2-1) got the win in relief, throwing just 0.1 innings and retiring the only batter he faced with a strikeout. Bailey Magsig started the game for Saginaw Valley, working 5.2 innings and allowing just two earned runs.
Perkovich was 3-for-4 in the opener with a run scored while Schalk had one hit, the big three-RBI double in the bottom of the sixth. Carson was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run as well.
Saginaw Valley didn't waste any time getting out into the lead in the nightcap, plating two runs in the bottom of the first and a single run in the second inning, taking a 3-0 lead. After a hit by pitch and a single, Carson and Schalk stole second and third, respectively. Harrison walked, with the fourth ball being a wild pitch that scored Schalk for the first run. Rich Guglielmi followed next with a double to right field next, scoring Carson. There was an appeal on the play, however, and Guglielmi was called out for missing first base on his round to second. The run in the second inning came on a Perkovich infield single that scored Kyle Kaufmann, who reached on an error to begin the inning.
The Warriors scored a run in the top of the fourth inning and two unearned runs in the top of the sixth, knotting the score at 3-3.
SVSU had a scoring opportunity in the bottom of the sixth and was shut down in the seventh and the game went into extra-innings with the score still 3-3.
The Cardinals had runners in scoring position at either second or third base in innings 8 through 10 but couldn't capitalize. SVSU, however, was able to stall a pair of Warrior threats as well to keep them from scoring.
As darkness set in after the 11th inning, the game was called with the score 3-3.
Saginaw Valley got some fantastic pitching in the second game as well, as starter Clayton Spiker worked 5.1 innings while allowing four hits, a single earned run and striking-out six batters. Jeff Schalk was great in relief once more for SVSU, as he tossed the other 5.2 innings, scattering five hits, striking-out four and allowing zero runs.
Perkovich and Luke Valutis each had two hits in the second contest, with Perkovich adding an RBI. Guglielmi had a hit and an RBI as well.
The Cardinals host the Hillsdale College Chargers this weekend in a four-game set. First pitch on Saturday (Apr. 18) is set for 1:00 p.m. at the SVSU Baseball Complex.