UNIVERSITY CENTER – The SVSU baseball team ran its unbeaten streak to six games after posting a Saturday sweep over Hillsdale College at the SVSU Baseball Complex. The Cardinals claimed a 3-0 shutout victory in the first game before defeating the Chargers by a 6-1 count in the nightcap. It was senior day for the Cardinals, as the team honored its eight seniors between games.
Game One
Saginaw Valley notched a single run in the bottom of the first inning when Chris Perkovich scored on a throwing error by the pitcher, making the score 1-0.
The Cardinals added another run in the bottom half of the fourth inning, using a Kyle Kaufmann sacrifice fly that plated Richard Guglielmi to push the lead out to 2-0. Guglielmi led the inning off with a double to right center.
SVSU scored its third and final run in the bottom of the sixth, taking advantage of a throwing error by the right fielder that allowed Brendan Harrison to score. That made the score 3-0 in the Cardinals' favor.
The three runs for the home squad was more than enough needed for the Cardinal pitching staff. Starter Scott Sency upped his record to 5-1 on the season after working 6.0 innings of shutout ball. He scattered five hits and struck-out four batters in the victory. D.J. Reetz pitched a scoreless seventh, overcoming a pair of walks to strikeout the side for his third save of the season.
Perkovich was 2-for-3 in the game with a run scored while Kaufmann had a double and an RBI.
Game Two
The Cards had a run in the bottom of the second to grab a quick 1-0 lead in the nightcap, taking advantage of a Hillsdale error on a Dylan Schultz grounder that allowed Guglielmi to score.
SVSU tacked-on another run to make the score 2-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning when a Chad Carson RBI double pushed Perkovich across the plate. Perkovich singled to begin the frame and moved up to second base on a Brad Schalk sacrifice bunt.
Saginaw Valley used four hits and two Hillsdale errors in the bottom of the eighth to score four runs to distance the score a bit at 6-0. Austin Plasterer scored on an error by the shortstop and Guglielmi followed with an RBI single that plated Schalk and Carson, who moved up from third to home on a fielding error by the right fielder. A Valutis RBI single scored Harrison for the last run of the inning.
Hillsdale scored a single run in the top of the ninth to make the score 6-1, but Jeff Schalk finished things off after working the final two innings for his first save of the season. He saved the win for starter Michael Ellenbest, who tossed 7.0 innings of shutout ball while allowing five hits and posting 10 strikeouts. It's the second straight start that Ellenbest (4-3) has registered double-digit strikeouts and third straight with at least nine.
The Cards registered 13 hits in the contest, with five players posting two base knocks. Carson was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored, as was Guglielmi. Schultz went 2-for-4 as well in the game, with Perkovich and Harrison each having two hits with a run.
SVSU improves its 2015 record to 15-14-1 overall on the season with a 10-11-1 in the GLIAC. Hillsdale falls to 13-25 and 8-14 in league play. The two teams are back at it tomorrow, as they meet for another league doubleheader. First pitch is set for noon at the SVSU Baseball Complex.