Cardinal Split with #7 Ferris State

UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team split a pivotal early season match-up with #7 Ferris State University today (Apr. 1) at the SVSU Sports Complex, losing game one 5-2 and winning game two 5-4 in dramatic fashion.

GAME ONE
In game one the Bulldogs jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the Cardinals responded in the top of the second inning. SVSU would knot the score at 1-1 when Vanessa Briggs (Freeland, Mich.) doubled home Nicole Fick (Columbiaville, Mich./Lapeer West HS) after she reached earlier in the inning on a throwing error.

Ferris State would go up 4-1 in the bottom of third and would add another run in the bottom of the sixth to give themselves a 5-1 advantage going into the top of the seventh inning. Ashley Jordan (Freeland, Mich.) would try and jump start the Cardinal offense with a one out solo homerun to cut the Bulldog advantage to 5-2, but the next two Cardinal hitters would be unable to maintain the momentum, as SVSU would end up on the short end of the 5-2 game.

Jade Fulton (Byron, Mich.) (9-3) would take the loss for the Cardinals, going three and a third innings and allowing four runs, before giving way to Kari Bowlby (Elkhart, Ind./Central HS) who finished the final two and two third innings for the Cardinals.

GAME TWO
The Cardinals would fall behind in game two after a Ferris State homerun in the second inning gave the Bulldogs the early 1-0 advantage and they would add another run on in the fourth inning.

It would take the Cardinals to the fifth inning to respond, as Jordan Stuart (Richmond, Mich.) would line a pinch hit double over the right fielders head to score Jillian Peterson (Freeland, Mich.) to give the Cardinals their first run of the game and cut the Ferris advantage to 2-1. The Bulldogs would add two more runs in the top of the sixth to go up 4-2.

The Cardinals would not go down easy though, as Jessica Anhel (Oxford, Mich.) led off the inning with a walk and would be pinch ran for by Billi Hoeppner (Hemlock, Mich.). Hoeppner would score on a Marsha Beaubein (Alpena, Mich.) single to left field to cut the score to 4-2. A bunt attempt by Stacy Kraatz (Howell, Mich./Hartland HS) would turn into a pivotal mistake for the Bulldogs, as a throwing error would allow Angela Kaiser (Waterford, Mich./Our Lady of the Lakes HS), who reached base after getting hit by a pitch earlier in the inning, to come around to score. That would bring up Fick with two out and two runners on in the bottom of the seventh as she drove a double to left center driving in the game tying and winning run for the Cardinals.

Kraatz got the win for the Cardinals, throwing seven innings allowing four runs and striking out four as she picked up her sixth win of the season.

With the split the Cardinal are now 20-6 overall and 7-1 in the GLIAC, while Ferris State is now 17-3 overall and 3-1 in the GLIAC. The Cardinal will return to action this weekend when the travel to Findlay and Hillsdale in GLIAC action.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Vanessa Briggs: INF; 5' 6"; Junior

#25 Nicole Fick: INF; 5' 6"; Junior

#24 Jessica Anhel: C; 5' 6"; Senior

#32 Kari Bowlby: P; 5' 11"; Junior

#4 Jade Fulton: P; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#21 Billi Hoeppner: OF; 5' 6"; Junior

#13 Ashley Jordan: OF; 5' 5"; Sophomore

#23 Angela Kaiser: OF; 5' 5"; Junior

#7 Stacy Kraatz: UTL; 5' 7"; Senior

#6 Jillian Peterson: INF; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#20 Jordan Stuart: INF; 5' 8"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#1 Vanessa Briggs
: 5' 6"; Junior
: INF

#25 Nicole Fick
: 5' 6"; Junior
: INF

#24 Jessica Anhel
: 5' 6"; Senior
: C

#32 Kari Bowlby
: 5' 11"; Junior
: P

#4 Jade Fulton
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: P

#21 Billi Hoeppner
: 5' 6"; Junior
: OF

#13 Ashley Jordan
: 5' 5"; Sophomore
: OF

#23 Angela Kaiser
: 5' 5"; Junior
: OF

#7 Stacy Kraatz
: 5' 7"; Senior
: UTL

#6 Jillian Peterson
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: INF

#20 Jordan Stuart
: 5' 8"; Junior
: INF