NEW WILMINGTON, PA – Saginaw Valley State University made a clean sweep of its GLIAC season-opening four-game series at Westminster College Sunday by winning 7-4 and 13-4.
     A pair of young arms and led the way for SVSU as freshman Justin Young (Flint/Kearsley) started and picked up the first win to improve to 3-0 and sophomore Adam Ruffner (Gibraltar/Carlson) raised his record to 2-0 with the relief victory in game two.
     Young scattered nine hits in six innings, allowing two runs (one earned), while walking three and striking out five. Senior Shawn Racignol (Petoskey) mopped up by pitching the seventh.
     Westminster out-hit SVSU 12-4 in the first game, but the Cardinals took advantage of 8 walks off loser Brian Zima (3-2), who struck out 7in his 6 innings of work and gave up all 7 runs (6 earned).
     Sophomore Chris Ebright (Ithaca) had a solo homer to pace SVSU, while senior Kraig Enders (Sanford/Sanford-Meridian) drove in two runs with a walk and a single. Sophomore Justin Garcia (Bay City/Western) had the other Cardinal hit.
     SVSU's bats boomed in the nightcap with 14 hits, including four homers. Senior Josh Miller (Whitby, Ontario) drove in four runs, hitting a pair of dingers, including a three-run shot in the third. Enders had two hits, including a two-run homer, and senior Joel Dohm (Owosso) drove in four runs with a single and a three-run homer.
     Also getting into the hit parade were junior Jason Valenzuela (Ontario, CA), who went 3-for-3 with two doubles, a walk, an RBI and scored three runs. Ebright had an RBI single.
     Ruffner came on with two outs in the first inning and shutout Westminster on four hits and no walks over the final six and one-third innings, while striking out five. Senior Vic Kaplack (1-1) was the first of six Titan pitchers and took the loss, yielding 8 runs (6 earned) on six hits and a walk, while fanning four.
     Saginaw Valley State improved to 13-2 overall and 4-0 in the GLIAC, while Westminster dropped to 7-8 overall and 4-4 in the league. The Cardinals take their six-game winning streak to Alma College for a single game Tuesday at 2 p.m. then play at Central Michigan University Wednesday at 3 p.m.