May 11, 2002
Baseball
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cardinals Drop Season Finale to Rochester

University Center, Mich - Saginaw Valley State's baseball team closed-out its 2002 regular season schedule, dropping a heartbreaking 6-5 decision to visiting Rochester College on Saturday. The Cards, fresh off a rousing 8-7 comeback win at Eastern Michigan on Friday, couldn't muster enough offense together to repeat the trick against the Warriors.
     The Cards led 1-0 in the second inning after senior catcher Chris Ebright (Ithaca) banged his third homerun of the season. The Cardinal defense turned double plays in each of the first three innings to help starter Justin Young (Flint/Kearsley) escape with no damage. The Warriors pushed a run across in the fourth and then took the lead in the fifth inning tallying four straight singles and a sacrifice fly to score three runs. Rochester held that 4-3 margin until the sixth when Ryan Wilkinson's (Dearborn) RBI triple scored Mike Condon (Utica) and tied the game at 4. Wilkinson would score on a bunt hit by Adam Ruffner (Gibraltar/Carlson) to regain the lead at 5-4.
     It would stay that way until the top of the ninth inning when the Warriors mounted their comeback. Three hits and two errors allowed two runs to come across and had the Cards down 6-5 going into the bottom half of the frame. Ebright singled to open the inning and eventually got to third base, but was stranded there giving Rochester a season series split with SVSU 1-1.
     The Cards finish the 2002 regular season with a 35-10 overall record (20-7 GLIAC). Saginaw Valley will find out its fate in the NCAA regionals after the completion of this weekend's action. The Cardinals are currently fourth in the North Central region with the top four bids garnering postseason berths.

Contact: Mitchell Wigness (989) 964-4933

 

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