Cardinals Drop Eagles, 10-8, in GLIAC Baseball Tourney
May 8, 2003

By Joe Monaco, AU Sports Information

This series is becoming all too familiar for the Eagles.

After completing a four-game series last weekend, Ashland and Saginaw Valley State had the pleasure of meeting each other in the first round of the GLIAC tournament in Allendale, MI.

The Cardinals overcame a 5-1 early deficit and scored six runs in the top of the fifth inning to defeat the Eagles, 10-8, and advance to the winner’s bracket finals on Friday (May 9, 2003).

SVSU took the lead right off the bat as Dan Jones scorched an RBI double that scored Sean Odamura from second base in the top half of the first inning.

It took the Eagles four innings to get on the board, but when they did it came in a flurry. AU scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, highlighted by an Eric McDaniel (Curtice, OH/Owens CC) grand slam home run. It was McDaniel’s seventh home run of the season.

The biggest belief that coaches carry is you never give up a big inning immediately after having a big inning yourself. The Eagles didn’t catch on to this advice as they surrendered six runs in the opening frame of the fifth inning.

Adam Piggott and Eric Caldwell each added two RBI apiece in the inning while the Cardinals chased AU starter Ryan Hartzell (Alliance, OH) from the game. When the smoke cleared in the fifth inning, SVSU maintained a 7-5 lead and would not relinquish it during the rest of the game.

Piggott struck again in the eighth inning when he connected on a two-run home run off Ryan Douglas (Loveland, OH) to give the Cardinals a 9-5 lead. SVSU added one run in the ninth. The Eagles attempted to storm back in the bottom of the ninth by scoring three runs, but fell a little too short in their efforts.

Offensively, the Eagles pounded out 13 hits and were led by senior Brock Wiskochil (Holland, OH/CSCC) who added four hits, including a double. Bryce Bednarcyzk (Hebron, OH/CSCC), Brandon Cornell (Columbus, OH/Bishop Watterson), McDaniel each contributed with two hits apiece.

Hartzell suffered the loss as he allowed seven runs on nine hits and struck out six Cardinals. His record fell to 6-6.

Ryan Reed picked up the victory as he tossed eight innings, surrendering eight runs on 12 hits and struck out five hitters. He improved to 7-3.

The Eagles dropped their record to 35-17-1 while SVSU improved to 29-16. AU will be back in action on Friday (May 9) against Hillsdale College in the first round of the loser’s bracket. Game time is set for 10 a.m.