KISSEMMEE, Fla. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team came up with a heartbreaking split on day five of the Rebel Spring Games that are being played in Kissimmee, Fla. The Cardinals got great pitching and loads of offense in their 13-0 opening game victory against Fayetteville State (NC), and would get great pitching in their battle with Northern Kentucky. The Cardinals fell by a score of 2-1 in the game that featured a great pitchers duel that ended in the eighth inning after the international tie break rule was enforced.

In game one, the Cardinals wasted little time getting runs on the scoreboard as the sent seven batters to the plate to build an early four run advantage. Angela Kaiser (Waterford, Mich./Our Lady of the Lakes HS) doubled to right field to start things off for the Cardinals and would get driven home when Marsha Beaubien (Alpena, Mich.) tripled to left center in the next at-bat. Walks by Stacy Kraatz (Howell, Mich./Hartland HS) and Jessica Anhel (Oxford, Mich.) would load the bases for Nicole Fick (Columbiaville, Mich./Lapeer West HS) who would drive two of the runs in. A Nikki Bigelow (Grandville, Mich.) sacrifice bunt would bring home Anhel to give the Cardinals the early 4-0 advantage.

Saginaw Valley would add another run in the second on a Kraatz sacrifice fly that score Kaiser. The Cardinals would not stop there though as they added six more runs in the bottom of the third after Fick singled up the middle, first baseman Sarah Sheffer (Watervliet, Mich. / Kalamazoo Valley C.C.) reached on an error, and both runners would be moved over by a Bigelow sacrifice bunt. Shannon McLaughlin (Watervliet, Mich. / Kalamazoo Valley C.C.) would reach on a sacrifice attempt that scored Fick from third base. Sheffer would score after an Ashley Coffin (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Stevenson HS) infield single to second base and a Kaiser infield singled to third base would score Mclaughlin. A double to right center by Kraatz doubled would score Coffin and Kaiser and Beaubein would later come around to score giving the Cardinals an 11-0 lead.

The Cardinals would tack on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth after fick walked and Scheffer was hit by pitch. Fick would later score after a Bigelow groundout and Mary Orr (Linden, Mich.) would drive home Sheffer with a sacrifice fly to center field to put the Cardinals up by a final score of 13-0.

Kraatz (2-2) took the win in the shortened game, throwing three inning and not allowing a run. She struck out four batters and only allowed two hits on the afternoon.

In game two the Cardinals found themselves in a rematch with Northern Kentucky, a team who they had fallen to 5-4 on the opening day of their spring trip. This game would feature less offense and two pitchers who were ready for a dual. Saginaw Valley's Jade Fulton (Byron, Mich.) (2-2) got the start in the circle for the Cardinals throwing 7.1 innings allowing two unearned runs on four hits and nine strikeouts.

Neither team would create any offense until the international tie break rule was invoked during the eighth inning. McLaughlin would be placed on second and moved over to third on a Bigelow sacrifice bunt. Coffin would then reach on a fielder's choice that would score McLaughlin and give either team its first run of the game. The Cardinals looked like they were going to be able to add an insurance run after Beaubien singled to right center and advanced Coffin over to third. Kraatz would then walk to load the bases, Anhel was unable to move any runners in after she popped up end the threat. Northern Kentucky would use two Cardinal errors in the bottom half of the inning to score two runs and end the game with the 2-1 advantage.

With the split the Cardinals move their season record to 5-5 and will continue play on Thursday (Mar. 12) at the Rebel Spring Games against C.W. Post at 1:00 pm and Northern State at 5:00 pm.