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Printer-Friendly ModeCards swept by Ashland in weekend series
April 14, 2008 —
After letting up 12 runs in last weekend's four-game series against Mercyhurst, SVSU let 32 Ashland Eagles cross the plate in Saturday's doubleheader in Ohio.
Sophomore Andrew Doyle, the GLIAC's second-place strikeout man, took the hill in the first frame of the doubleheader, and made it through two scoreless innings before losing control in the third and fourth innings. The nine-run two innings were capped off by a grand slam from Eagles' senior shortstop Chris Haycox, which rounded out a seven-run fourth inning, leading to a 15-9 victory over the Cardinals.
"When Doyle's right, he might be our best pitcher," Head said after Doyle's complete game shutout against Mercyhurst last weekend. "But that's when he's right."
SVSU managed to put together nine runs, but their bullpen wasn't able to contain, the Eagles' bats, letting up six more runs in the final two frames. Cardinals pitching has been steady in the backend of games this season, averaging less than a run per inning in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
Ashland didn't make things easier for SVSU pitching in the bottom half of the doubleheader, scoring at least one run in every inning, including four in the fourth and fifth innings, en route to a 17-11 victory.
Sophomore lefty Scott Sierzenga had trouble early, lasting only 1.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on five walks and one hit.
Freshman pitcher Craig Engerer came in for two innings of relief, letting up seven more runs on six hits, and took the loss.
The Cardinals' bats did their part again, scoring 11 runs on 14 hits, including a two-run home run from senior third baseman Danny Patterson, his second of the season.
Senior outfielder Reed Welker, the GLIAC's RBI leader, added three more in the loss, giving him 37 on the season.
The losses drop the Cardinals' record to 19-9, 7-5 GLIAC, keeping them in the log-jammed middle of the GLIAC standings, where only two games seperate third place Grand Valley from sixth place SVSU.
This week, the Cardinals take on the top two teams in the GLIAC, traveling to Detroit on Wednesday for an afternoon game at Wayne State (17-11, 13-1 GLIAC), before coming home for a weekend series against Findlay (17-12, 13-3 GLIAC).