TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - The final day of the GLIAC Tournament on Sunday was going to be tough for the Panthers as they needed two wins to capture the championship. The Panthers squared off with Saginaw Valley State at 11 a.m. and the game featured 11 runs in the first inning and took nearly one hour. The tone was set for a wild game and in the end the Cardinals never trailed in a 12-8 decision to end the season for DU.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Gaetano Vallone got the ball in the pressure situation of trying to stay alive for the Panthers. The Cardinals put the pressure on as they scored six runs, all coming with two outs. Derrek Clyde was hit by a pitch to lead off and was on second with two outs. It looked promising for the Panthers when Adam Turner also was hit on a 0-2 pitch. Craig Wilson singled up the middle to plate Clyde. Austin Koin followed with a single to load the bases. Vallone then got a one-hopper back to him on the mound and he made a good play to glove the ball. However, he threw the ball high and wide pulling Noah Marcoux off first base to continue the inning. Then a wild pitch scored the third run as things began to unravel. Anthony Kania followed with a two-RBI single up the middle and that was it for Vallone on the mound. Brent Showers gave up a RBI double to Andrew Burke the ninth hitter in the Cardinals lineup for a 6-0 lead.

Davenport did not hang their heads and responded with five runs in the bottom of the first. Kyle Henigan also did not make it out of the first inning. DU had five hits and left the bases loaded before cutting it to 6-5. Marcoux had a RBI double to break out of a slump at the plate as Jacob Buchberger scored. Alex Huard had an infield single for a RBI as Marcoux scored. Dylan Watson singled through the left side to score Kamrin Markwardt for a 6-3 score. Jimmy Filipski doubled to left center for a RBI as Huard scored. Hunter Ruhstorfer walked and Eric Fritz came into pitch. Buchberger popped up to first and the ball was dropped to continue the inning at 6-5. Nolan Bryant lined out sharply to right center to end the inning.

SVSU added two more runs in the top of the second upping their lead to 8-5. Jordan Swiss doubled to start the inning and Collin Winters was hit by a pitch. The next two batters were retired and Koin singled to short as Huard knocked down the ball to prevent a run. Thomas Loftus came through with a two-run scoring single to center. Markwardt ended the inning with a pickoff throw to third to nab Koin.

The Cardinals scored again in the top of the fourth as Turner homered inside the left field pole off James Rogers. Fritz was the main story for the Cardinals as he pitched four straight scoreless innings in relief to keep his team ahead. He finished with 5.2 innings and allowed two runs with a walk and strikeout to get the win (2-0).

The Panthers cut the lead to 9-7 in the sixth with two runs. Bryant led off with a single and Travis Harvey laced a one-out double to left center. Markwardt lifted a sacrifice fly to left and Huard had a RBI single to score Harvey. Watson reached on a throwing error on a chopper to third and the throw went out of play to put two in scoring position. Filipski ended the inning with a grounder to first.

The Cardinals extended their lead to 11-7 in the eighth after Winters singled and Turner walked. Craig Wilson squared to bunt the runners over but pulled back and slapped a single up the middle as Winters scored. Evan Maize was pitching at the time after throwing two scoreless innings in relief, but was pulled for Spencer Vainavicz. Turner scored on a wild pitch and Wilson went to third. Vainavicz buckled down and got the next three guys out to keep it 11-7.

DU went quietly in the eighth and SVSU added their 12th run in the ninth. Burke doubled to right and Clyde bunted him over to third. Swiss then singled him home for the five-run cushion. DU had some momentum going in the ninth as Filipski reached on an error and took third on a wild pitch. Ruhstorfer walked and Buchberger delivered a RBI single. Bryant however grounded into a double play and Marcoux grounded out to first to end the game.

GAME NOTES
Vallone took the loss (1-2) even though one of the six runs was earned. Showers went 1.1 innings and allowed four hits with a strikeout. Rogers tossed three innings and gave up one run with a walk and strikeout. Maize and Vainavicz each pitched two innings. The Cardinals pounded out 17 hits as seven different players had multiple hits. Jacob Crossan tossed the final 2.2 innings for SVSU and allowed three hits with a walk and strikeout. Buchberger, Bryant and Huard each had three hits for DU. Huard drove in two runs as the only Panther with multiple RBI. Ruhstorfer went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two walks. 

SEASON NOTES
Buchberger batted .429 this season to tie the season record. He also had the fifth-best slugging percentage (.659) and fourth-best on-base percentage (.498). His 78 hits this season ranks fifth in a season at DU. Bryant scored 57 runs this season to rank second. His 18 doubles tied for sixth in a season. Noah Marcoux hit 11 home runs to tie for fourth. He drove in 55 runs to tie for sixth. Travis Harvey batted .391 to rank ninth in a season. He slugged .698 to finish third as a Panther. Evan Marquardt had nine wins on the mound to tie for second. His 78 strikeouts also ranked fifth. Pete Zeimis saved six games this season which is tied for fifth. The 2019 team set the record for best slugging (.507) and home runs (52).