The SVSU baseball team went 5-4 on its annual spring trip, bringing its overall record to 5-8 on the season as it nears the beginning of conference play.
“Overall, I think our spring trip was a great success,” head coach Chris Ebright said. “We went 5-4, won some region games, and saw tough pitching throughout. I was really happy with how our guys battled adversity and competed whether we were up 10 or down five. I really like playing a tough early schedule to get our guys ready for GLIAC play.”
Following an 0-4 start in the season’s opening weekend, the Cardinals also dropped its first two contests of the trip to Carson-Newman University in Tennessee. Saginaw Valley dropped the only game Friday, March 3, 12-9, which was followed by a 7-3 loss in the first game of a Saturday double header.
However, SVSU responded with two wins over the Eagles over the next two days. Trevor Friday was the winning pitcher in the second game Saturday as the Cardinals topped Carson-Newman 8-4. Friday threw six innings of one-hit baseball, allowing no earned runs and striking out 10. At the plate, Derrek Clyde, Chad Carson and Collin Winters all had two hits.
Sunday, SVSU was again victorious, topping the Eagles 10-7. Brian Feinauer was the winning pitcher, going five innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out five. Five relievers took care of the final four innings, with Jake Tarbell earning the save. Centerfielder Adam Fitzgibbon was 3-5, and designated hitter Jason Clark was 2-4 with a home run. Collin Winters and Jordan Swiss added two hits apiece as well.
SVSU then dropped two straight, one to Augusta University and one to Shorter University, in mid-week games. However, the Cardinals fired back with three straight wins to round out the trip.
The streak began with an 11-1 win over Shorter on Wednesday, March 8. The Cardinal offense exploded while starting pitcher Brandon Wise spread seven hits over five innings, allowing only one run. Third baseman Chad Carson was 4-5 on the day with two doubles and an RBI. Swiss also had three timely hits that were good for four RBIs.
Shorter committed six errors defensively in the contest.
Saginaw Valley completed the trip with two wins over Kentucky Wesleyan on Friday, March 10.
The team took the first game of the double header 4-3 and fought off three late runs from the Panthers.
Scott Sency got his first win of the season on the mound, throwing six complete innings, allowing five hits and three runs, while striking out seven. Tarbell again earned the save. Clark had two hits and two RBIs to pace the Cardinal offense. Craig Wilson and Garrett Soule added two hits apiece as well.
Freshman pitcher Mason Schwellenbach earned his first win as a Cardinal on the hill as the Cardinals topped the Panthers 6-2 to complete the spring trip. Fitzgibbon and Wilson each had two hits for SVSU, which scored three runs in the top of the seventh to seal what had been a very close contest.
“We created some good momentum going into this next week,” Swiss said. “Winning five of our last seven is what we needed. Everyone did their part to help the team win.”
SVSU has one more non-conference series this weekend before beginning GLIAC play against Ohio Dominican March 25.
“I am very excited for the future of this program,” Ebright said.
