May 12, 2005
Baseball
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cardinals Surrender Eight Run Lead and Game to Grand Valley

DETROIT, Mich.– The Saginaw Valley State baseball team had a eight run lead after four innings of play only to see the game slip away, eventually dropping the game by a score of 11-12 in 11 innings.
    The Cards tallied eight runs in the top of the fourth inning to get the scoring started. Of the eight runs scored, none of the runs were earned runs, as Grand Valley had trouble handling the ball throughout the inning. Dan Jones (Gladstone, Mich.) started the inning by reaching base on a throwing error. Dale Marsden (Sarnia, Ont./Northern Collegiate) then got a hit that advanced Jones to third. Jones would score when Chris Norton (Grand Rapids, Mich./Catholic Central HS) singled up the middle. Marsden was brought around for a score as Justin Hanning (Lake Orion, Mich.) hit a scarifice that was misplayed by the Lakers. Justin Doughty (Oscoda, Mich) walked next, loading up the bases for SVSU. Kyle Sheppard (Ajax, Ont./Pickering) then reached base courtesy of another Grand Valley error, and Chris Norton scored on the play. Jason Burghardt (Temperance, Mich./Bedford HS) was the recipient of yet another Laker error as he reached on an error by the first baseman, allowing Hanning to score. Senior Mike Crawford (Lake Orion, Mich.)then doubled down the left field line to score Sheppard and Doughty. Jones then singled in his second plate appearance of the inning, scoring Burghardt and advancing Crawford to third. Marsden hit a sacrifice that scored Crawford, giving the Cards a eight run inning, that finally ended when Norton flied out to right field.
    Grand Valley scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth when they were finally able to get some hits off of SVSU pitcher Steve Liebrecht (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage HS). In the sixth inning the Cardinals came back to score two more runs, with Norton and Hanning each recording a RBI to stretch the Cardinal lead back to eight runs, 10-2.
    The Lakers then countered by scoring seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning making the game a one run affair (10-9) and forcing Liebrecht out of the game, as Ryan Reid (Sarnia, Ont./East Lambton) came on in relieve. Nobody scored anymore runs until the bottom of the ninth, when Grand Valley scored one more to tie the game and force extra innings. In the tenth inning the Cards tallied another run courtesy of a Dan Jones sacrifice fly that scored Jason Burghardt. The Lakers then countered with a run in the bottom of the tenth, forcing another inning. In the top of the eleventh inning SVSU was held scoreless. The bottom of the eleventh inning saw the winning run scored because of a hit batter with the bases loaded.
    Leading the Cardinals at the plate were Jones and Crawford, who both recorded two hits and two RBI. Jason Burghardt also had a good day, scoring two runs and getting an RBI to help the cause. Scott Schlaff (Warren, Mich./Mott CC), who pitched the final two innings of the game suffered the loss for the Cardinals.

 

Contact: Nathan Roskey (989) 964-4053

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