HAMMOND, Ind. – Sophomore Hunter Thorn (Portage, Ind./Portage) went a combined 5-for-7 at the plate with a pair of doubles, a run scored and four RBI to fuel the Purdue Northwest baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of Saginaw Valley State University (Mich.) Friday to open its Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) series at Albert's Diamond Jewelers Field in Dowling Park in Hammond, Ind. The Pride won the first game, 7-5, and the second game, 3-0. The games were originally scheduled for University Center, Mich., but were moved to Hammond due to weather so SVSU served as the home team for both games.

In game one, senior Jacob Lane (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) got PNW off to a good start driving in a run on a sacrifice fly to centerfield in the top of the first inning. In the bottom of the fourth, the Cardinals took the 2-1 lead scoring one run off a fielding error and the other off a RBI groundout. PNW took back the lead for good in the top of the fifth getting a RBI single from freshman Darius Kendall (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) and a two-run single to left field by Thorn.

The Pride added three more runs in the sixth to go ahead, 7-2, taking advantage of a wild pitch and a pair of walks with the bases loaded by Thorn and Lane. SVSU got a run in the bottom of the sixth on a RBI single and two more in the seventh on a fielder's choice and a RBI single. 

Senior Jimmy Skiff (Dyer, Ind./Andrean) earned the win (3-2) as the game one starter for PNW. He pitched 5.2 innings and allowed seven hits, three runs (one earned) and three walks with four strikeouts. Junior Joe Davi (New Lenox, Ill./Joliet JC/Lincoln-Way Central) recorded the save (3) getting the final out and allowing no hits, runs or walks. Freshman Chad Patrick (Hebron, Ind./Hebron) pitched one inning of relief and gave up three hits, two runs (both earned) and a walk with one strikeout.    

In his first start since being named the National Division II Pitcher of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), junior Kyle Flessner (Thomasboro, Ill./Kankakee CC/Rantoul Township) had another solid outing throwing the first 5.2 innings of game two and allowing five hits, no runs and three walks with no strikeouts. He moved his season record to 2-2 with the victory. Junior Brendan Kelly (Grandville, Mich./Muskegon JC/Grandville) posted the save (1) pitching the final 1.1 innings and giving up just one hit.

After two scoreless innings to open the game, Thorn got the Pride on the scoreboard first with a RBI single to left field in the top of the third. Later in the frame, freshman Kevin McCune (Munster, Ind./Andrean) put PNW up 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to centerfield. McCune drove in the Pride's third and final run of the game in the top of the fifth with a RBI single to centerfield.

Purdue Northwest (12-13 overall/5-9 GLIAC) continues its conference series with Saginaw Valley State on Saturday, April 14, with a single, nine-inning game. Saturday's game is slated for a noon CT start at Dowling Park.