UNIVERSITY CENTER - The SVSU Baseball team finished-off the 2017 season with a solid weekend, posting a Sunday twinbill sweep over Grand Valley State University to take 3-of-4 games from the Lakers in the series. The Cardinals posted 7-5 and 12-7 victories in games one and two of the day, respectively.
Game One
Saginaw Valley got its first run of the game in the 2nd, using a Nate Blackwell sacrifice fly that scored Brendan Harrison for the 1-0 lead.
The Cardinals then responded to a single Laker run in the 4th with three runs to take a 4-1 edge. Those runs came courtesy of an Adam Fitzgibbon three-run blast to right field that scored Mason Schwellenbach and Jordan Swiss. It was Fitzgibbon's team-leading seventh home run of the season.
GVSU scored four runs in the top of the 5th inning, taking a 5-4 lead in the game.
SVSU responded with a single run in the bottom of the 5th, knotting the score at 5-5 after Harrison ripped an RBI single to score Chad Carson.
Two more runs came SV's way in the 6th. Cole Brooks had an infield single that bounced off the first baseman, allowing both Fitzgibbon and Schwellenbach to score. That made the score 7-5, which is where it would remain.
Inside the Boxscore
- Carson went 3-4 in the opener with a pair of doubles and a run scored.
- Fitzgibbon had the three-run long ball and scored twice.
- Harrison went 2-4 with an RBI and run scored.
- Brooks had the two-RBI single.
- Schwellenbach had a hit and two runs and Nate Blackwell drove-in a run.
- Scott Sency got the start, going 5.0 innings while allowing three runs and striking-out three.
- Jake Tarbell (1-2) got the win in relief, allowing just one hit in a scoreless 6th inning.
- Brandon Wise notched his third save of the season after working a scoreless 7th inning.
Game Two
The Lakers grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning, but that would expire in the bottom of the 4th when the Cardinals went for a pair to take the 2-1 lead. Swiss had an RBI single to score Brooks and Blackwell had an RBI on a fielder's choice to plate Harrison.
The home half of the 6th was the big inning for the Cardinals, as the team erupted for seven runs to make the score 9-1. Carson and Brooks each drove-in two in the inning while Schwellenbach walked-home a run. Harrison added an RBI for the home team as well.
GVSU tacked-on five runs in the 5th frame to cut the deficit down to 9-6.
SV scored one in the 7th inning on a double-steal that scored Blackwell to make the count 10-6. Another two runs in the 8th pushed the lead to 12-6 when another Carson double scored Schwellenbach. He would come around to score himself after a throw home moved him to third and an errant throw from the catcher allowed him to score.
The Lakers scored a run in the 9th to make it 12-7, which is what the final would stay.
Inside the Boxscore
- Carson had another huge day in his final game, notching three hits with a double, three RBI and two runs scored.
- Brooks had two hits with a double, adding two runs and a pair of RBI.
- Harrison added two hits with a double, two runs scored and an RBI.
- Jason Clark (3-1) notched the victory on the mound, working 6.1 innings while striking-out eight batters. He allowed four runs and three hits.
- Schwellenbach and Tarbell worked relief for Saginaw Valley, each allowing just a single run.
Up Next...
The two games on Sunday finish the 2017 campaign for the Cardinals, who finished the season with a 20-28 overall record and 14-18 mark in the GLIAC. SVSU honored its six seniors prior to Sunday's doubleheader, as Chad Carson, Nate Blackwell, Garrett Soule, Brendan Harrison, Jake Tarbell and Scott Sency all closed-out their Cardinal careers with three straight victories and the home sweep.
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