UNIVERSITY CENTER -- The margin for error was erased for the Saginaw Valley State University baseball team Wednesday after splitting a doubleheader with local rival Northwood University.
     The Timberwolves rode a 3-run first-inning homer by senior John Beebe (Standish/Standish-Sterling) to a 7-4 win in the first game, but the Cardinals came back to win the nightcap by a 13-7 margin.
     The loss knocked SVSU out of first place in the GLIAC with a 19-5-1 record and an .780 winning percentage, while idle Mercyhurst College has completed its season with a 24-6-1 league mark and a .790 percentage.
     Last-place Gannon University brings a 27-game losing streak to the SVSU Baseball Field this weekend for doubleheaders Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at noon. The Cards must win at least two games and can't afford another loss to claim their first GLIAC title since 1995.
     Northwood led 4-0 in the third inning before SVSU could get its offense going. The Cardinals trailed 5-3 after five innings, but several miscues prevented a comeback. They committed two errors that led to three unearned runs and also misplayed a ball in the first inning that preceded Beebe's homer. SVSU also had a runner picked off second base for the third out in the third inning with two on and hot-hitting cleanup hitter Zac Zdenahlik (Coloma) at the plate.
     Senior right-hander Jason Moczul (Lansing/Sexton) tossed his first complete game of the season for NU and picked up his first win (1-3), allowing nine hits and three walks, while striking out three. Sophomore lefty Andy Scott (Bay City/Western) also notched his first complete game, allowing 10 hits and three walks, while striking out eight to fall to 4-3.
     Working on just two days rest, freshman righty Scott Corby (London, Ontario) picked up the win for SVSU, allowing eight hits and three walks, all seven runs, and struck out four in four and one-third innings. Freshman righty Mike McGinnis (Monroe) blanked the Timberwolves on a hit and a walk over the final two and two-third innings.
     Sophomore Adam Ruffner (Gibraltar/Carlson) was 4-for-6 on the day with a walk, a double and three RBI for SVSU. Junior Jason Valenzuela (Ontario, CA) had four hits and an RBI, senior Josh Miller (Whitby, Ontario) had three hits and two RBI, and Zdenahlik hit his third homer to pace the Cardinals.
     NU freshman Adam Long (Coleman) and junior Chris Streeter (Midland/Dow) both had two hits in each game. Long drove in three runs on the day and had his first homer, while John Gresehover (Union Lake/Orchard Lake St. Mary's) hit his second homer of the year and drove in three runs in the nightcap.
     Junior righty Scott Bunting (Cedar/Glen Lake) was the first of four Northwood pitchers and took the loss. He allowed seven runs (five earned) on seven hits and three walks.
     SVSU takes a 34-9-1 overall record into the weekend, with coach Walt Head needing three more wins to reach 500 in his 18-year career. The Timberwolves dropped to 21-27 overall and 14-16 in the GLIAC.

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