UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – Roosevelt ended its first Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference series by getting swept in a doubleheader Sunday at Saginaw Valley State.
The Lakers (6-16, 1-3 GLIAC) could not overcome an early offensive onslaught from the Cardinals in the first games as Saginaw Valley State eased to a 13-2 win. Roosevelt's offense came to life for the second game, but the Cardinals rallied for an 11-8 win.
SAGINAW VALLEY STATE 13, ROOSEVELT 2
The Cardinals scored four runs in the second inning and six more in the third inning to pull away early from the Lakers.
Kekoa Ogawa and
Jack Kieffer both drew walks in the fourth inning then
Fabian Cruz earned a free pass in the fifth.
James Berry had Roosevelt's first hit in the sixth inning and
Kyle Jannenga has the Lakers' other hit in the seventh.
Jannenga's single began the rally that produced Roosevelt's only two runs in the game.
Sebastian Casillas reached on a fielder's choice to replace Jannenga at first then
Jack Hoh and
Aiden Brushaber both were hit by pitches to load the bases. A throwing error by the Saginaw Valley State third baseman allowed two runs to score before the Cardinals closed out the game.
SAGINAW VALLEY STATE 11, ROOSEVELT 8
The Lakers went right to work in the second game, loading the bases with two outs in the opening inning with three consecutive walks. Yet it was Saginaw Valley State that struck first with two runs in the bottom of the second.
Roosevelt quickly responded with two runs in the third inning, which began with a Berry triple into right centerfield. An error allowed Ogawa to reach base and Berry to score, then
Luke Ulbert doubled in Ogawa to tie the game. The Cardinals retook the lead in the bottom half of the frame, but that set up Roosevelt's strongest response.
Three errors and three hits allowed the Lakers to score five runs in the top of the fourth inning, to give Roosevelt its first lead all day. Ogawa drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 4-3 then Kieffer followed with a single to tie the game. Ulbert lined a double down the left-field line to plate two runs then Kieffer scored on an error by the right fielder.
The Lakers added a run in the fifth inning, but the four-run lead did not last. Saginaw Valley State tied the game in the bottom of the fifth then tacked on three more runs in the sixth inning. Roosevelt could not mount a comeback with its final nine outs to drop its third game of the series.
Ulbert was 2 for 4 with four RBIs while Berry was 2 for 5 with a pair of runs scored. Ogawa worked three walks in the loss and also scored two runs for Roosevelt.
UP NEXT: Roosevelt is scheduled to have its home opener Tuesday at 3 p.m. against Lewis in non-conference action at Ozinga Field.
