The Basics
Game 1: Saginaw Valley 12 - Kentucky State 0
Game 2: Saginaw Valley 11 - Kentucky State 6
Records: SVSU (2-0) | KSU (0-4)
Location: Alumni Field - Frankfort, Ky.
FRANKFORT, Ky. - Solid pitching and a strong offensive output helped the SVSU baseball team to a season-opening sweep of Kentucky State University, winning game one 12-0 before claiming the nightcap by a final score of 11-6.
The Cardinals belted 13 hits in the game one victory, scoring four runs in the top of the second, one in the third and going for seven runs in the top half of the sixth inning to account for the 12 runs. SVSU added 14 more hits in the nightcap, three of those home runs and scored eight runs in the final two innings to seal the sweep for the day.
Brendan Harrison went 3-for-4 in game one with a double and three RBI. Jordan Swiss, Garrett Soule and Rich Guglielmi all added two hits as well, with Swiss tacking-on three RBI and Soule scoring three runs to go along with a walk. Soule had a double and Swiss a triple in the game. Dylin Eschenburg and Carson Eby each added a hit and scored a pair of runs for SV.
Soule had three hits in the second game with a home run, double and two RBI. Guglielmi had five RBI, going 2-for-3 in the game with both of those hits being long balls over the center field fence. Both Soule and Guglielmi scored two runs in game number two. Adam Fitzgibbon added a pair of hits with a run while Chad Carson had two knocks, including a double, and scored three runs. Swiss had a two-RBI double in the game. Greg Kazmierski had an infield single and a walk in the contest as well.
Scoring Summary Game 1
- The Cards got four runs in the top of the second, with Eby getting hit with the bases loaded to score Soule. Swiss then had an RBI and reached on a fielding error by the second baseman, scoring Harrison. Dylan Schultz had an RBI fielder's choice and Eschenburg scored on a throwing error.
- Harrison had an RBI double in the top of the third that scored Soule, pushing the lead out to 5-0.
- The top of the sixth featured seven SV runs to make the score 12-0. The first blow came on a two-RBI triple from Swiss that plated Eby and Eschenburg. Fitzgibbon scored Swiss on an RBI single for the third run and would score himself, along with Schultz on an error by the second baseman. Harrison capped the scoring, knocking in Soule and Guglielmi with a single.
Scoring Summary Game 2
- SVSU got on the board with a two-run home run over the center field fence from Guglielmi that scored Carson for the 2-0 lead.
- KSU answered with a single run in the bottom of the first inning to cut the deficit to 2-1.
- A Soule solo shot in the top of the fourth gave the visitors a 3-1 advantage.
- The Thorobreds got RBI base hits in the bottom half of the fourth and scored two runs to knot the score at 3-3. They added another run in the fifth to take their first lead of the day, 4-3.
- The Cardinals responded in a big way with five runs in their half of the sixth, getting an RBI single from Soule to score Carson, another from Harrison to plate Soule and a two-RBI double from Swiss to allow Schultz and pinch-runner Craig Wilson to score. A double steal finished the inning, as Kazmierski got in a rundown between first and second and Swiss scored from third for the final run of the frame.
- The top of the seventh featured another long ball from Guglielmi, this one a three-run shot to center that scored Carson and Fitzgibbon as well. That made the score 11-4.
- KSU got a two-run home run from Arnold Dominguez in the last of the seventh, cutting the deficit to 11-6, which is where it would stay.
On the Mound
- Michael Ellenbest (1-0) worked an efficient 6.0 innings in game one, throwing just 78 pitches while allowing just one hit and a walk. He struck-out nine batters and ran his scoreless innings streak to 32.0 innings, dating back to last season.
- Max Ludka worked a scoreless bottom of the seventh for the Cards, allowing just one hit and posting a strikeout.
- Scott Sency (1-0) tossed the first 5.0 innings of game two, allowing four runs on eight hits while striking-out seven batters.
- Bailey Magsig and Justin Steele each pitched one of the final two innings, with Magsig allowing just one hit and Steele two runs on a pair of hits. Steele struck-out three batters in the seventh.
Inside the Boxscore
- Five SVSU players collected their first hit in a Cardinal uniform, as Fitzgibbon, Soule, Eby, Swiss and Kazmierski all had base knocks in the doubleheader.
- Ellenbest ran his scoreless innings streak to 32.0 innings, dating back to the end of last season.
- Guglielmi's five RBI in the nightcap marked a career-high for him.
- The Cardinal pitching staff combined for 20 strikeouts and walked just one batter.
Up Next
The Cardinals and Thorobreds meet once again for the final game of the series, which will be a single, nine-inning contest Sunday (Feb. 28) with a noon start time.
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