TARBORO, N.C. – The Saginaw Valley State University baseball program played game two of three against Walsh in North Carolina Friday evening. The Cardinals (8-4) defeated the Cavaliers (2-7) with a final score of 2-1. The pitching staff struck out 15 and did not walk a single batter.
Jack Decker (W, 4-0) pitched seven innings allowing one run on eight hits and punched out 10. He gave way to Nathan Masar (Sv, 2) in the eighth who set down all six batters he faced, five on strikes. Buck Snabes had the best day at the plate going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Austin Cicerone followed with two hits on three at-bats, one double and an RBI as well. Both Zane Wilson and Ethan Scheib pinch hit and went 1-for-1 and both scored a run.
Four straight scoreless innings started the game with Decker recording seven of his strikeouts and facing only two batters above the minimum. Walsh cracked the scoreboard first with their lone run in the fifth inning. A double and a single put runners at the corners before an RBI single made it 1-0 WU.
The Cavaliers starter Martin Polonkay went six scoreless innings allowing seven hits and striking out three. He gave way to Justin Malloy in the seventh who threw two pitches before being replaced by Alex Beyerle (L, 0-1). In the top of the eighth, Wilson led off with a single and stole second. Ethan Rose reached on an error to put two on with no outs. After a pop out, Scheib pinch ran for Rose and Snabes drove in Wilson on a single to center to tie the game 1-1. Ryan Jarvis walked to load the bases giving Cicerone a big opportunity to take the lead. After a first pitch strike, the second pitch of the at-bat hit Cicerone to push home Scheib for the 2-1 lead.
Masar took over in the bottom of the seventh and finished the game to earn the two-inning save. He struck out all three batters in the eighth and two in the ninth with the only ball put in play being a groundout to Snabes at shortstop.
Up Next: Saginaw Valley baseball has a rubber match against Walsh on Sunday, March 8 down in Tarboro, North Carolina. The Cardinals and Cavaliers are set for a 2:00 PM EST first pitch for the finale of a three-game series.