DETROIT -- The Wayne State University baseball team (17-16 overall, 7-9 GLIAC) took on Saginaw Valley State (19-18 overall, 4-12 GLIAC) on Friday evening and the Warriors won 11-1.
The four-game series was originally scheduled to be played at SVSU but past weather conditions have rendered the Cardinals' home diamond unplayable. Friday's contest took place at the Detroit PAL Corner Ballpark at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull, the site of the old Tiger Stadium. The final three games of the series will be played at Harwell Field. SVSU will be the home team throughout the series.
On this day in 1912, Nevin Field was opened at the corner, which later became Briggs Stadium in 1938 before it was named Tiger Stadium in 1961. The final game at Tiger Stadium was on September 27, 1999, before it was taken down in 2008.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Warriors started the scoring with two runs in the top of the first inning. Â
JT Conti (Trenton, Mich.) singled home the game's first run before
Ryan Mergener (Portage, Mich. / Portage Central) gave WSU a 2-0 lead with an RBI single to center field. Â
Brad Baldwin (Troy, Mich. / Bishop Foley Catholic) extended WSU's lead to 3-0 with an RBI double down the right field line in the top of the second inning. Â The Cardinals used two hits in the bottom of the second inning to score their first and only run of the contest. Â
Tristen Jorah (Clinton Twp., Mich. / Sterling Heights Stevenson) pushed a run across with a sacrifice fly in the third inning.
- The Green & Gold scored four runs on two home runs in the top of the fourth inning to stretch the advantage to 8-1. Â After
Jacob Finkbeiner (Saline, Mich.) was hit by a pitch, Baldwin blasted a two-run shot to right field and
Justin Kelly (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton Warrenville South) connected for a two-run blast to left field.
- Wayne State concluded its offense for the night with a three-run inning in the top of the sixth inning. Â Mergener tallied another RBI during the frame.
AT THE PLATE
- Baldwin posted a 4-for-5 game with three RBI, finishing with eight total bases. Â Conti and Mergener both collected two hits and two RBI.
ON THE MOUND
- Starter
Jared Tobey (St. Clair, Mich.) (5-2) was sharp, allowing an earned run on five hits over six innings, while striking out eight batters. Â
Tyler Waldrop (Grand Ledge, Mich.) struck out two Cardinals in his two innings of scoreless work. Â
Nick Cowen (Tecumseh, Mich.) pitched in his first game of the season and tossed a scoreless inning, striking out two batters.
UP NEXT
- The teams will continue the series on Saturday with a pair of seven-inning contests beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Harwell Field.
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