UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw
Valley State University softball team took two today (May 2) from
Grand Valley State, 2-1, and 4-2 in eight innings. The
Cardinals finished the regular season sixth and are scheduled to
play the number three seed Northwood in the Great Lakes
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) tournament.
GAME ONE
Game one remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth
inning when senior Angela Kaiser (Waterford, Mich. / Our Lady of
the Lakes HS) hit a line drive homerun to score two runs, which
would be the only runs the Cardinals needed to win the game.
The Lakers tried to battle back in the seventh inning when they
scored one run on a homerun. Saginaw Valley ended the game
with five hits and five runners left on base.
Freshman Alexa Gehrls (Caledonia, Mich.) started the game in the
circle going six innings making her 2-4 on the season, while Lauren Memmer (White Lake, Mich. / Lakeland HS) picked up the save for
Saginaw Valley.
GAME TWO
Game two was a pitcher's dual until the fifth inning when
the Lakers broke it open scoring two runs on three hits and two
errors by Saginaw Valley. The Cardinals answered right back
scoring two runs to knot the score in the top of the sixth
inning. Junior Ashley Jordan (Freeland, Mich.) singled to
second base and Jillian Peterson (Freeland, Mich.) singled to give
the Cardinals two runners with one out. Both Jordan and
Peterson advanced on a fly out to center field. Sophomore
Ashley Coffin (Sterling Height, Mich. / Stephenson HS) doubled to
right center scoring both runners.
Jessica McKeith (River Rouge, Mich.) led off with a bunt
single and stole second base in the top of the eighth inning.
McKeith advanced to third on a fly out and scored on a squeeze play
by Kaiser. Coffin reached base on a fielder's choice
and advanced to second on a play at home. Kaiser scored on a
wild pitch to give the Cardinals a two run advantage.
Senior Kari Bowlby (Elkhart, Ind.) got the win making her 10-4
on the season with four strikeouts. Memmer came in and got
the save pitching the bottom of the eighth inning with two
strikeouts.
With the wins Saginaw Valley improves to 27-14 overall on the
season, and 14-12 in the GLIAC, while Grand Valley falls to 22-24
overall on the season, and 10-16 in the GLIAC. The Cardinals
will be back in action when they travel to Midland to play
Northwood in the GLIAC Tournament. The game is scheduled for
10:00am.
