CALEDONIA, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team traveled to Davenport on Thursday afternoon to begin a four-game weekend series. The Cardinals (24-13, 7-6 GLIAC) fell to the Panthers (26-11, 12-1 GLIAC) by a final score of 14-6.

Lucas Mead led the Cardinals with a three-hit performance, collecting two RBIs and a triple. Grant Richardson added two hits and scored a run. Chase Raymond (L, 4-2) started on the mound for SVSU, pitching five innings while allowing six runs on 10 hits and two walks, striking out two. Steve Getts pitched three innings in relief, giving up one run on two hits and a walk while striking out five.

Davenport jumped out to an early lead with a run in the first and another in the third to go up 2-0. A four-run fourth inning and another run in the fifth extended the Panthers' lead to 7-0. SVSU threatened through the first five innings but finally broke through in the sixth. Austin Cicerone tripled to right-center to drive in Ethan Scheib and put the Cardinals on the board.

The sixth inning proved to be the biggest blow of the game for SVSU. Ryan Adams came in to pitch and faced six batters; all six reached base via two walks, two hits, a hit-by-pitch, and an error. A two-run single made it 9-1 before a grand slam pushed the lead to 13-1 and ended Adams' outing. Getts took over and surrendered his lone run in the seventh.

In the seventh, the Cardinals scored two more runs. Ryan Jarvis walked with the bases loaded, and Cicerone was hit by a pitch to drive in another run. SVSU added three more runs in the ninth to make it 14-6. A fielding error allowed Ethan Rose to score, and Mead tripled in the next at-bat to drive in both Jarvis and Mitchell Walters.

Up Next: Saginaw Valley baseball continues the series with a doubleheader against Davenport on Friday, April 18. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM EDT at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex in Caledonia, Michigan.