DETROIT -- Thanks to a workmanlike performance on Sunday afternoon at Harwell Field, the 21st-ranked Wayne State University baseball team (26-8 overall, 10-6 GLIAC) took care of Saginaw Valley State (18-16 overall, 8-8 GLIAC) by a score of 6-2 for the four-game series win, three games to one.

Saginaw Valley State was first on the scoreboard with a run in the top of the first inning before Wayne State got it back in the bottom of the second.  Bennett Hitzelberger (Richmond, Mich.) started up the rally with a single to right field before Alfredo Velazquez (Livonia, Mich. / Brother Rice [Michigan]) brought him in with a base knock right back up the middle three batters later.

The Cardinals went ahead for a second time, 2-1 in the third with a solo home run to dead center field, but the Warriors again had an answer in the home half of that frame.  With Drew Hill (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North) standing at second base, Tony Hatzigeorgiou (Oxford, Mich.) hit a chopper up the middle off the glove of the second baseman that allowed Hill to come around and score, making the score 2-2.

With the visitors unable to tack on any more runs, the home team took complete control of the game with a four spot in the sixth.  Those four came in when Caleb Sanders (Eastpointe, Mich. / Detroit Edison Public School Academy [Dayton]) scored Velazquez with a groundout to the shortstop, Owen Tuccinardi (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Skyline) singled in Brady Blakita (Canton, Mich. / Detroit Catholic Central) and Ty Garza (Grosse Ile, Mich. / Grosse Ile [Barton College]) tripled in a pair.  Garza's three-bagger over the glove of the outstretched center fielder allowed both Hill and Tuccinardi to touch home plate.

That was plenty of run support for the tandem of Gabe Nazelli (Farmington Hills, Mich. / Detroit Country Day) and Macio Miller (Kimball, Mich. / Marysville [Jackson C.C.]) on the mound.  Starting with Nazelli, who improved to 2-0 on the season, the graduate right-hander lasted six innings on 88 pitches.  The team co-captain gave up two earned runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

In relief, Miller picked up his first save of the season, third of his career and first in nearly two years.  The fourth-year Warrior (third playing) was nearly flawless while facing just two batters over the minimum.  Miller surrendered just two hits with no free passes, a pair of punchouts and 39 pitches.

Wayne State will take a break from GLIAC play and travel to Hillsdale on Tuesday for a 4 p.m. first pitch against the Chargers.