LANSING, Mich. – Saginaw Valley State University baseball faced a must-win game against Wayne State in the GLIAC Tournament at Jackson Field on Saturday. The Cardinals (30-22) couldn't complete a late comeback against the Warriors (26-27), falling 7-6.
Ethan Scheib recorded the only multi-hit game for SVSU, going 2-for-4, while Ryan Jarvis and Austin Cicerone each contributed a hit and a walk. Chase Raymond (L, 4-4) got the start, pitching one inning. Nathan Masar followed with four strong innings, allowing two runs on one hit and three walks while striking out eight. Jake Shelagowski tossed the final three innings, allowing one unearned run on four hits and a walk, striking out four.
Wayne State jumped ahead early, scoring on an RBI single and a three-run home run in the first inning to take a 4-0 lead. Although SVSU had good at-bats against Warrior starter Nick Baker (W, 3-1), they struggled to turn contact into hits. The Cardinals finally broke through in the sixth, when Scheib doubled home Aaron Bess and later scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 4-2.
The Warriors responded with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend their lead to 7-2. Saginaw Valley battled back in the eighth. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Lucas Mead, who drew a walk to force in a run. A wild pitch then allowed Jarvis to score, making it 7-4. Buck Snabes grounded out to short, driving in Cicerone, and singles from Jordan Lewis and Zane Wilson brought home Mead, trimming the deficit to one. However, SVSU stranded two runners in the eighth and one more in the ninth, falling just short.
Season Recap: Saginaw Valley baseball finished the year with their second-most wins since 2008. The Cardinals set two team records—totaling 17 saves to surpass the previous mark of 15 set in 1995, and recording 457 strikeouts, breaking the single-season record for the third straight year. Jake Shelagowski led the way with 11 saves, breaking Scott Clark's individual record of 10 from 1995.
JJ Arbini and Jack Decker both vied for the top pitching spot in the GLIAC throughout the season. Arbini finished with a 2.10 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP, highlighted by his 8.2-inning performance on Friday to keep the Cardinals' season alive. Decker led the staff with nine wins, 73 innings pitched, and 70 strikeouts. Lucas Mead led the team with a .420 batting average, ranking among the top five in Division II for most of the year.
The Cardinals' 30-22 finish brings head coach Adam Piotrowicz's career record to 98-64 through three seasons at the helm. He holds a 51-33 mark in GLIAC play, including an 11-13 record in conference action in 2025.
