UNIVERSITY CENTER, MICH. – The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team suffered a 7-3 defeat to Ashland in game two of the NCAA Division II Baseball Midwest Regional at home on Thursday.
The Cardinals (39-16) scored two runs in the fourth and another in the ninth, but it wasn't enough against the Eagles (41-14).
Tyler McLaren got the start on the mound for SVSU and went 5.1 innings with three strikeouts and six hits. Jackson Decker pitched 2.2 innings in relief giving up four hits and sitting one Ashland batter down on strikes. Chase Gruno pitched the top of the ninth inning and struck out one batter.
Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for the Eagles in the second inning before a double brought two runners across the plate. A sacrifice fly added a third run as Ashland gained an early 3-0 advantage.
The Cardinals responded with a leadoff single by Brandon Scheurer. Hayden Jatczak was hit by a pitch and Colin Cornwell singled to center field to load the bases. Reed Raymond cleaned things up with a single through the right side to allow Sheurer and Jatczak to score to cut the Eagle lead to 3-2 after four innings.
An SVSU error and a single put runners on the corners before another error on a stolen base attempt allowed a fourth run to cross the plate. A single to right field added another and Ashland secured a 5-2 lead with three innings remaining.
A sacrifice fly in the seventh and a double in the eighth put two more runs on the board for the Eagles and the visitors built a 7-2 edge with just one inning left.
The Cardinals loaded the bases with an Ashland error, a walk, and a single. Lucas Mead scored on a fielder's choice and the score sat at 7-3 with two outs, before a fly out to left field ended the SVSU comeback attempt.
Scheurer finished 2-for-5 with a run scored to lead the Saginaw Valley offense. Jeff Reseigh tallied two hits during his four at-bats. Austin Schweiger, Connor McClennen, Raymond, and Cornwell had one hit in the game.
UP NEXT
The Cardinals face elimination tomorrow against Northwood in game three of the NCAA Regional at Noon, EST.
