KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Saginaw Valley
State University softball team finished their annual spring trip to
Florida on fire. The Cardinals winners of their last six games and
five of their last six by shutout, leave the 2009 Rebel Spring
Games absolutely rolling, as they defeated Southwest Minnesota 2-0
and Minnesota State-Moorhead by a score of 11-0.
In game one Saginaw Valley State University battled with the
Broncos of Southwest Minnesota and got another great pitching
performance from sophomore Jade Fulton (Byron, Mich.) in the
Cardinals 4-0 win. Fulton (5-2) needed just 73 pitched to complete
her first collegiate no hitter, as she struck out nine batters and
lowered her season ERA to an outstanding 0.62 per game.
Angela Kaiser (Waterford, Mich./Our Lady of the Lakes HS) would
reach base on a fielder's choice and Marsha Beaubien (Alpena,
Mich.) would follow that up with a walk to put Cardinals on first
and second with just one out in the third inning. Kaiser and
Beaubien would then both steal a base to move themselves into
scoring position. Kaiser would score on a Stacy Kraatz (Howell,
Mich. / Hartland HS) bunt attempt to give the Cardinals the 1-0
advantage. Jessica Anhel (Oxford, Mich.) would send a ball to deep
right center for a sacrifice fly that would score Beaubein to give
the Cardinals their second and final run of the inning.
In game two the Cardinals jumped all over Minnesota State-Moorhead
in the top of the first inning. Kaiser would single to the pitcher
and move over to second on a sacrifice bunt by Beaubein. A triple
by Kraatz down the right field line would score Kaiser for the
Cardinals first run of the game. Jillian Peterson (Freeland, Mich.)
would then drive in Kraatz with a perfectly placed bunt. The
Cardinals would go up 3-0 when Nicole Fick (Columbiaville,
Mich./Lapeer West HS) singled to drive in Peterson. Ashley Jordan
(Freeland, Mich.) would score the Cardinals fourth and final run of
the first inning on a wild pitch.
Saginaw Valley would mount a two out offensive attack in the
fourth inning. Kraatz would walk and score on another Peterson
single. A Fick single up the middle would score Jordan and Peterson
to move the Cardinals lead to 7-0.
SVSU would pick things right up in the top of fifth when Sarah
Sheffer lined a pinch hit single up the middle to reach base.
Kaiser would follow that with another single and would score on a
Beaubein triple to right center to go up 9-0. A Kraatz
Texas-Leaguer would score Beaubein, while Peterson would score the
Cardinals last run on a Kim Sills (Clinton Twp., Mich.) single to
left field.
Cardinals' Kari Bowlby (Elkhart, Ind./Central HS) got the
start for the Cardinals and picked up where Fulton had ended
earlier. Bowlby (2-1) threw four innings, allowing no runs on one
hit, while striking out four hitters on the afternoon. Bowlby was
so efficient she never faced more than three batters in any inning
she pitched on the day.
The Cardinals finish their spring trip to the Rebel Spring Games
with an 11-5 record overall and will return to University Center to
prepare for GLIAC action that starts on March 25 against Lake
Superior State University.
