Baseball Claims Dramatic 6-4 Win Over Saginaw Valley in 13 Innings, Game Two Postponed

OVERVIEW – Saginaw Valley State

GAME 1

SCORE: Northwood 6, Saginaw Valley State 4

RECORDS: Northwood 24-7 (11-2 GLIAC), Saginaw Valley State 12-17 (6-7 GLIAC)

LOCATION: SVSU Baseball Complex, Saginaw Valley State

RECAP: Northwood outlasts Saginaw Valley to earn dramatic, come-back 6-4 victory in 13 innings.

GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS

• Northwood opened the contest with a leadoff walk by Connor Foley and a double by David Vinsky. Both Foley and Vinsky would come around to score to give the Timberwolves a 2-0 lead after the top of the first.
• Northwood held the 2-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth as both pitchers settled down on the mound and Northwood's starter, Kyle Vedrode was able to pitch out of a couple of jams effectively.
• In the home half of the fourth inning, Saginaw Valley took the lead with one swing of the bat on a three run home run by Jordan Swiss. The Cardinals lead 3-2 after four innings of play.
• Saginaw Valley held the lead going into the seventh, but with their backs against the wall, Northwood dug deep to find some late inning magic, just as they've done time and time again this season.
• With one out, Foley drew a walk. The next batter, David Vinsky laced his third double of the game to put the tying runs on second and third one out. Ryan McClelland was then intentionally walked to load the bases for Daniel Pulver.
• Pulver blasted a gap shot to right center bringing home Foley and Vinsky to tie the game at 4. McClelland was thrown out at home to prevent the go-ahead run and keep the game tied at four.
• Still in the top of the seventh, Grant Bridgewater then walked to put runners at the corners and two outs, but Saginaw Valley was able to escape the inning with the score tied at four.
• Northwood shut down the Cardinals in the home half of the inning to force extra innings.
•  In the top of the eighth, and the game still tied, Saginaw Valley loaded the bases with one out, needing just the one run to win the game. Head Coach Jordan Bischel brought in Connor Foley from left field to play second base, and the Timberwolves played with five infielders to try and prevent the winning run.
• The gamble paid off as Saginaw Valley's Jordan Swiss hit a ball on the ground that shortstop Kyle Ziegler fielded and threw home for the force out, extending the game. Ian Dimitrie would then get Colton Brooks to ground out on a phenomenal defensive play by Ziegler at shortstop to send the game to the ninth.
• The game continued with dramatic twists and turns, but neither team could push across a run, and the game that was scheduled to be seven innings, prolonged all the way to the 13^th inning with the score tied 4-4.
• The top of the 13^th began with David Vinsky's fourth double of the game, and more importantly, NU had a runner in scoring position with nobody out. With one out and Vinsky on second, the freshman took off for third on a ball in the dirt. The throw from the SVSU catcher, Connor Sonnier, skipped past the third baseman, allowing Vinsky to spring to his feet and sprint home for the go-ahead run, making it 5-4 Northwood.
• Bridgewater then singled home Pulver for the second run of the inning, and the Timberwolves led, 6-4.
• Heading to the bottom of the 13^th, Lennon Gwizdala remained on the mound for Northwood and pitched around a leadoff single to retire the Cardinals and seal the victory for Northwood, 6-4.

GAME 1 STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors Northwood: 6/13/1 Saginaw Valley State 4/12/1
• Runners Left on Base: Northwood: 17 Saginaw Valley State: 12
• Winning Pitcher: Lennon Gwizdala (3-0) 1.1 IP, 5H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 1K
• Losing Pitcher: Alex Millhisler (1-2) 6.1 IP, 9H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 5K

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• David Vinsky 4-7, 3R
• Connor Foley 4 BB, 2R
• Daniel Pulver 1-6, 2RBI

GAME 1 NOTES

• The last three games between Northwood and Saginaw Valley have gone to extra innings.
• These two teams played a 15 inning game at Northwood in 2015.
• The series between these two teams over the last five years has been incredibly even. Saginaw Valley is 9-8 over the last five years, Northwood has gone 5-4 in the last two years against the Cardinals.
• With the win, Northwood continues their best start in program history both overall (24-7), and in the GLIAC (11-2)
• David Vinsky now leads the GLIAC in doubles with 19 after four doubles in the game. He is also second in the GLIAC in batting average behind Connor Foley.

GAME 2 –POSTPONED DUE TO DARKNESS. RESUMED 4/19/17

SCORE: Northwood 1, Saginaw Valley State 12

LOCATION: SVSU Baseball Complex, Saginaw, Mich.

RECAP: Saginaw Valley explodes for seven runs in the first inning, and control upon resumption of the postponed contest to earn 12-1 win in game two of the doubleheader.  

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS

• Northwood was their own worst enemy in the bottom of the first of game two as Saginaw Valley sent 11 men to the plate and scored seven runs on six Northwood walks.  
• The game was postponed due to darkness in the bottom of the third inning.
• When the game resumed, Saginaw Valley held control 7-0. Northwood scored one in the top of the fourth on an RBI by Nick Palmer to make it 7-1, but Saginaw Valley responded with three in the home half, and one more in the fifth and sixth to cruise to the 12-1 win.

GAME 2 STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors Northwood: 1/7/0 Saginaw Valley State 12/10/3
• Runners Left on Base: Northwood: 10 Saginaw Valley State: 4
• Winning Pitcher Brandon Wise: (2-1) 7 IP, 7H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 7K
• Losing Pitcher: Brogan Fisher (0-2) .1 IP, 0H, 5R, 5ER, 3BB, K

COACH JORDAN BISCHEL

"It was too bad someone had to lose game one. We have had so many games like this with Saginaw Valley over the last three years. Both bullpens were tremendous. Obviously we are disappointed in how we started the second game. We will need to work hard to quickly refocus for our games this weekend.

UP NEXT

• The Timberwolves travel to Detroit, Michigan for a four game series against Wayne State beginning on Friday (April 14). First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 pm.