UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - The Saginaw Valley State University baseball team lost 7-4 to rival Grand Valley State University in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference series opener on Friday afternoon from the SVSU Baseball Complex. 

The loss drops the Cardinals' record to 18-18 overall and 8-9 in GLIAC play. 

Game Breakdown:

• The Lakers opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the third inning.
• In the bottom of the fourth inning, SVSU responded with two runs when Connor McClennen reached on a fielder's choice that scored Tucker Roe, and Reed Raymond singled home Andrew Burke. 
• SVSU took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth when Austin Schweiger hit an RBI double that scored Todd Paperd and later came around to score thanks to a Burke RBI single. 
• GVSU scored three runs in the top of the seventh, and two more in the top of the eighth inning to take a 7-4 lead. 
• The Lakers held off a Cardinal comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning to take the victory.
• On the mound, Hunter Merillat got the start for SVSU and pitched 6.0 innings, and struck out four. He was relieved by Reed Raymond (1-1) who ended with the loss after pitching one inning of relief. 

Up next:

The Cardinals and Lakers face off in a doubleheader beginning at 12:35 pm Saturday from the SVSU Baseball Complex.