UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University baseball program completed its 2025 season with a 30-22 record (11-13 GLIAC), marking the second-most wins in a season since 2008. In the third year under head coach Adam Piotrowicz, the Cardinals set two team records: the pitching staff recorded 17 saves—breaking the previous mark of 15 set in 1995—and posted a program-record 457 strikeouts, extending the record for a third consecutive season. The new saves record was aided by Jake Shelagowski, who totaled 11 saves to break the individual program record of 10, also set in 1995.
SVSU had a strong year in postseason honors, with three players named to All-Midwest Region teams, three selected to the GLIAC All-Tournament Team, seven recognized on All-GLIAC teams, and one earning a major GLIAC award. Jordan Lewis was named the GLIAC Freshman Player of the Year. Shelagowski earned First Team All-Midwest Region honors from both the NCBWA and D2CCA. Lucas Mead joined him on the D2CCA First Team, while JJ Arbini earned Second Team D2CCA All-Midwest Region honors. Arbini was also one of three Cardinals on the GLIAC All-Tournament Team, joined by Austin Cicerone and Ethan Scheib. Mead and Shelagowski earned First Team All-GLIAC honors, with Lewis, Arbini, and Jack Decker named to the Second Team. Cicerone and Ryan Jarvis received Honorable Mention recognition.
The Cardinals hit .290 as a team, totaling 499 hits, 84 doubles, 15 triples, and 17 home runs. They drove in 337 runs, drew 258 walks, and stole 75 bases in 94 attempts. Mead led the offense with a .420 batting average, 76 hits, six triples, and four home runs. He led the GLIAC in on-base percentage (.513) and OPS (1.121), while ranking 18th in Division II in batting average and 27th in OBP. Jarvis paced the team in at-bats with 188, playing in 50 games during his sophomore season. He hit .330 and led the team in runs (47), doubles (16), and walks (37). Cicerone followed closely with 42 runs and 32 walks while hitting .313. Scheib, who served as the team's leadoff hitter for much of the season, batted .318 with a .413 on-base percentage and led the team with 18 stolen bases.
The pitching staff finished the year with a 5.03 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP across 432.2 innings, totaling 457 strikeouts for a 9.51 K/9 rate. Decker led the team with nine wins in 73.0 innings pitched, striking out 70 batters and tossing two of the team's three complete games. Arbini threw the other complete game and posted a 7-3 record in 11 starts. He allowed the fewest hits in the GLIAC (33), held opponents to a .148 batting average, and gave up just 15 earned runs. His 2.10 ERA was just one-hundredth of a point behind the GLIAC leader. Arbini's 0.99 WHIP led the GLIAC and ranked seventh in Division II.
Among relievers, Nathan Masar led the team in innings pitched (35.1), striking out 61 batters with a team-best 15.54 K/9 in 19 appearances. He posted a 3-2 record with two saves. Shelagowski also appeared in 19 games, pitching 33.1 innings. He recorded a 1-0 record with 11 saves, allowed 14 earned runs, and struck out 51. His 3.78 ERA was the best among qualifying bullpen arms. Daniel Wilcome followed with a 3.86 ERA, breaking out in his redshirt sophomore season with 23.1 innings over 13 appearances. He allowed 10 earned runs, struck out 22, and finished with an 8.49 K/9 and a 1.50 WHIP.
Additional season highlights included two players hitting for the cycle. Mead accomplished the feat on March 29 against William Jewell, going 5-for-5 with two doubles and a walk. Richardson followed suit on April 15 against Lourdes, hitting his only home run of the season as part of the cycle. Both players completed the cycle with a single as their final hit. The Cardinals earned four GLIAC Player of the Week honors, with Mead winning twice and Decker and Shelagowski each earning a Pitcher of the Week nod.
The pitching staff also set new single-game records with 20 strikeouts in a 14-inning game and 19 in a 9-inning game. The 20 strikeouts marked the most ever in a single contest in program history, while the 19-strikeout performance was a new 9-inning game record. The 14-inning marathon came on March 11 against Findlay and was the longest game in program history since a 15-inning matchup with Northwood in 2015. SVSU also faced Northwood in the fifth annual Dow Diamond Classic on April 22, winning 5-4 to improve to 5-1 against the Timberwolves at Dow Diamond.
The team concluded its season in the GLIAC Tournament. Piotrowicz now holds 98 career wins at SVSU and is just two shy of reaching 100 heading into his fourth season in 2026. Under Piotrowicz and pitching coach Justin McMurtrey, the Cardinals have broken the single-season strikeout record for three straight years, achieving the 2025 mark in seven fewer games than in 2024. Piotrowicz and McMurtrey were joined for a third season by Brandon Evans, who oversees baserunning and the outfield, and by Christian Penn in his second year as hitting coach.
SVSU more than doubled its stolen base total from 2023, jumping from 41 to 86, and managed to swipe 71 in 2025 despite losing 70 of those 86 steals to graduation. The team nearly reached a .300 batting average and saw a breakout year from Mead, who surged from a .182 average as a freshman to a .420 mark that was second in the GLIAC and ranked among the top 20 in Division II.