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Printer-Friendly ModeCards' losing streak at seven
April 17, 2006 —
After losing three of four games in three straight GLIAC doubleheaders, the baseball team knew they needed a solid performance at Wayne State and Ashland to keep its postseason hopes alive.
Unfortunately for the Cards, two extra-inning losses in their first three games of the week set the tone for what eventually became a winless weekend as the Cards' losing streak ran to seven games.
The Cards opened the weekend Thursday with a pair of games at Wayne State. The Cards fell 5-3 in Game 1 before suffering a heart-breaking loss in Game 2, losing 6-5 in 10 innings.
In Game 1, SVSU scored in the first inning to jump out to a quick lead before finding themselves down 4-1 after five innings. The Cards were able to pick up two runs in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit to one, but Wayne State put the game away with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning as the Cards eventually fell 5-3.
Senior Aaron Dorgan started on the hill and took the loss, giving up five runs in five innings of work. The righthander struck out five and walked none as his record dropped to 1-2 on the season.
At the plate, freshman shortstop Justin Gouthro went 3-for-3 and sophomore catcher Max Bell had two hits and scored a run. Sophomore third baseman Brent Skiba, who has played sparingly, got a rare start at third and answered with two hits and drove in two of the three Cardinals' runs.
The team suffered a tougher loss in Game 2, falling 6-5 in extra innings. The Cardinals jumped out to a quick lead again as Bell continued his hot hitting by slugging a three-run home run in the top of the first. Gouthro added his first home run of the season leading off the third to give the Cards a 4-1 lead.
The Warriors then scattered four runs over the next four innings and SVSU could only add one more, and the game went to extra innings tied 5-5.
Both teams held the other scoreless over the next four innings before the Warriors grabbed the win with a run in the bottom of the tenth after junior righthander Matt Parker uncorked a wild pitch with the bases loaded.
Senior lefty Jim Kelly started for the Cardinals and allowed four earned runs in six innings of work. Junior righthander Ben Esparza and Gouthro held the Warriors scoreless in three innings of relief. Parker took the loss and fell to 0-2 on the season.
Gouthro and Bell again hit well as Gouthro was 3-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored while Bell picked up two hits and four RBIs.
The Cardinals then traveled to No. 8 Ashland on Friday and again suffered an extra inning loss, falling to the Eagles 7-6 in eight innings. The Cardinals had the lead three different times in the game but the Eagles were able to come back each time before eventually picking up the win.
It was Gouthro who started the scoring again, hitting his second home run in as many games in the first inning. The two teams then traded leads several times before an RBI groundout from Skiba tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the sixth.
In the top of the seventh, sophomore centerfielder Reed Welker led off with a single before junior Tom Seehafer hit a dramatic pinch hit two-run home run to put the Cards on top 6-4. But for the third time in the game, the Eagles were able to come back, scoring two runs of their own in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, starter Scott Schlaff found himself in a bases-loaded two-out jam before being pulled in favor of Esparza. But for the second consecutive game, the Cards gave up the game-winning run in extra innings without a ball being put in play as Esparza hit the only better he faced, forcing in a run as SVSU lost 7-6.
Schlaff was not nearly as dominant as he has been, giving up seven runs in 7 2/3 innings and walking six as he saw his record drop to 5-2.
Gouthro shined again at the plate, adding a double and a single to go along with his first-inning homer. Welker was 3-for-3 with a run scored while junior leftfielder Chris Hanna finished with two hits.
Game 2 was a different story for the Cards, as they managed only one run and four hits in a 6-1 loss. On the mound, freshman lefthander Jon Herendeen lost his third game of the season, giving up six in five innings of work and striking out four.
Saturday proved no better for the Cards as they dropped both contests of the doubleheader, losing 6-5 in Game 1 before getting blown out 16-1 in the nightcap.
Two errors behind starter Scott Roy led to four unearned Eagles' runs in the bottom of the first in Game 1. The Cardinals eventually came back to tie the game but again gave up another run as soon as they did and they eventually fell 6-5.
Roy worked three innings, giving up four runs and striking out three.
Hanna paced the Cards offensively, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Freshman rightfielder Chris Hess had a double, a single, and scored two runs while Skiba continued his hot hitting going 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
In Game 2, the Cardinals suffered one of their worst losses of the year, losing 16-1. Ashland pounded out 19 hits to SVSU's six and scored in every inning but the third. Hess and Skiba shined offensively, as both collected a pair of hits on the afternoon.
The Cardinals are now 3-15 in conference play and 13-18 overall. After beginning the season 10-2, the Cards have gone 3-16 and now have the second worst record in the conference. They will try to get back on track Wednesday with an afternoon doubleheader against Northwood before hosting Findlay over the weekend.