May 17, 2007

Saginaw Valley State (34-12) advanced to play Southern Indiana Friday at 7 p.m. with its 7-3 victory over Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (37-16) in a game that ended at 1:49 a.m. Friday morning. SIUE will face Grand Valley State at 4 p.m.

Southern Illinois-Edwardsville's 2B Michael DalPozzo opened the bottom of the first with a single to right and 3B Ben Bartley was hit by a pitch. SS Cory Brunner doubled past the first baseman to right scoring DalPozzo. CF Daniel Thomson singled to left scoring Bartley to give SIUE a 2-0 lead. Bruner came home when Thomson drew a throw to second on a steal and the Cougars led 3-0.

Saginaw Valley State answered in the top of the second when DH Brandon Fanion led off with a double to right and CF Reed Welker drew a walk on four pitches. 3B Tom Seehafer reached on a fielder's choice and LF Josh Peterson singled to right center to score Fanion. Kevin Schwedler reached on an error and went to second on another error to score Seehafer. Peterson scored on a Chas Coulter groundout to shortstop. RF Chris Hanna plated the fourth run of the inning with his single to left that scored Schwedler.

Seehafer reached on error by the SIUE third baseman and Peterson placed a perfect bunt down the third baseline for an infield single to start the fourth. Schwedler advanced Seehafer and Peterson with a sac bunt and Hanna drew a walk. Bell plated Seehafer with an infield single to give SVSU a 5-3 advantage.

Reed Welker opened the fifth with a double to left and Seehafer singled to center to plate Welker. Peterson reached on an error by the third baseman and both he and Seehafter advanced on a wild pitch. Schwedler reached on a fielder's choice squeeze play that scored Seehafer to give SVSU a 7-3 lead. Neither team scored after the fifth.

Peterson led the Cardinal offensive attack with a 3-3 outing. Seehafer scored three runs, while Pete Vanderkolk colled two hits. Scott Schlaff went the distance, yielding three runs, all in the first, and six hits. Michael DalPozzo and Cory Bunner each tallied a pair of hits for SIUE. James Hertel was tagged with loss and falls to 6-2.