JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team hit the road to begin a four-game weekend series at Carson-Newman University. The Cardinals got off to a solid start and held a late lead, but couldn't overcome a big seventh inning from the home team and fell to the Eagles by a 12-9 count. 

The Cardinals scored first in the ballgame with an RBI groundout from Chad Carson in the top half of the first. He plated Derrek Clyde to give SVSU a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom half of the inning, Carson-Newman tied the game at one with a sacrifice fly RBI. 

SVSU regained the lead in the top of the third inning. With Carson on first base after being hit by a pitch, Collin Winters scored him from first base with an RBI triple. The Cardinals then scored three runs in the next two innings. 

Dan Keller gave SVSU the 3-1 lead with his sacrifice fly RBI in the top of the fourth inning while Winters delivered a two-run opposite field home-run in the fifth inning. The Eagles countered the two runs scored in the top of the frame with three of their own in the bottom half, cutting the Cardinal lead to 5-4. 

Saginaw Valley continued to swing the hot bats as the game pushed into the seventh inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Winters recorded his fourth RBI of the game by drawing a walk and scoring Craig Wilson. The next batter, Adam Turner, then singled to drive in a run. The Cardinals added two more runs on the play as the Eagles fielding woes extended the game to a 9-4 advantage in favor of SVSU. 

The four-run seventh inning by the Cardinals then set up Carson-Newman to find its way back into the contest. 

Carson-Newman went into the bottom of the eighth inning down 9=5 after holding SVSU to no runs in the top of the frame. The Eagles were able to touch up the Cardinals bullpen for seven runs to take a 12-9 lead, its first lead of the game.

The Eagles were struck out the side in the ninth inning to hand SVSU a 12-9 loss to begin the four-game set.   

Inside the Boxscore

• Collin Winters led the offensive attack for the Cardinals. He finished the game with a triple and 4 RBI and scored a run. He also drew a walk that plated a run for SVSU in the seventh inning. 
• Chad Carson scored three runs and drew a walk in the third lineup spot for the Cardinals. 
• Craig Wilson had a mult-hit game from the nine spot in the lineup, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate and stole a base.
• Adam Fitzgibbon also had a multiple hit game and scored a run as well. 
• SVSU scored nine on eight hits, with seven runs being earned. The Eagles committed five errors during the series opening game. 
• Mason Swellenbach got the start for SVSU and did not factor into the decision. He went five innings and allowed three earned runs on four hits and struck out six batters. 

Up Next...

SVSU and Carson-Newman take to the field on Saturday for a doubleheader from Silver Diamond in Jefferson City. First pitch for game 1 is at Noon while game 2 is scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. start time. 

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