Davenport, Fla. – Saginaw Valley State University baseball wrapped up their nine games in nine days in Florida against Winona State University Saturday morning. SVSU (7-8) controlled every aspect of the game against the Warriors (4-10) to win three straight to end the trip and finish the week 5-4.
It started by limiting the Winona State bats as Cardinal starting pitcher Steven Hecht (0-1) pitched four innings striking out six and allowing two runs, only one of them earned. Hecht started the game with two scoreless innings and got run support instantly.
In the bottom of the first, Reed Raymond singled, Tucker Roe dropped down a sacrifice bunt that allowed Raymond to reach third, and then Colin Cornwell bounced into an RBI groundout. With the bases clear and two outs, SVSU added one more. Martin Money singled, then Ethan Dufresne reached on an error allowing Money to move up 90 feet away from home plate. Then, Connor McClennen hit an RBI single to extend the lead to 2-0.
SVSU added on one more in the second when Connor Cornwell collected his first career hit with a lead off single. Connor Cornwell finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Cam Steeves walked to put two on with no outs when Reed Raymond bunted Cornwell and Steeves into scoring position. Roe flew a ball out to right field that allowed Cornwell to score making it 3-0.
The Warriors took advantage of an error in the third to tally one run, and scored another in the fourth to make it 3-2 SVSU.
Cardinals broke it open in the bottom of the fourth with a three spot. Jaccar Watkins singled and Roe walked putting two on for Colin Cornwell. Colin singled to score Watkins and on the throw both he and Roe moved up a base to put two in scoring position with two outs. During the next at-bat, Roe scored on a wild pitch making it 5-2. Money walked, and then SVSU got crafty. Money attempted to steal second and on the throw down, Colin Cornwell stole home making it a four-run game.
The bullpen for the Cardinals was phenomenal. Christopher Schmees (W, 1-2) was the first out of the pen and pitched two scoreless innings allowing one hit, one walk, and struck out three. Three separate pitchers closed the game down with a scoreless inning each. Nick Bastian had two strikeouts and allowed one hit and a walk. Carson Bassett walked one and punched out two. Lastly, JJ Arbini had one hit and a walk against in the ninth before shutting the door.
There was one more run to speak of in the game and it was the first extra base hit for Connor Cornwell. Luke Welch reached on a walk, and Cornwell sent him all the way around the bases with an RBI double in the fifth making it 7-2.
All seven runs for SVSU went against Winona State starter Bailey Banaszynski (L, 0-1). He pitched 4 2/3 innings allowing seven runs on six hits and five walks.
UP NEXT
SVSU baseball heads back to Michigan and gets ready for two home games next week. They'll host Hillsdale on Tuesday and Madonna on Wednesday.
