UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich - The Saginaw Valley State University softball team dropped a pair of contests to No. 12 Grand Valley State University today (Apr. 14) at the SVSU Softball Complex. The Cardinals fell in game one by a score of 7-6 before dropping a 2-0 contest in the second game.
Game 1 vs. Grand Valley - Box Score
A three-run homerun by the Lakers would give them an early 3-0 advantage over the Cardinals. Saginaw Valley would rally in the bottom of the third when Kaitlyn McBride (Brampton, Ont. / St. Thomas Aquinas HS) singled home Amanda Kimes (Caledonia, Mich.). Jordan Randall (Clinton Twp, Mich. / Clinton HS) would lace a single to right field later in the inning to score McBride and would score herself later in the inning on a Lindsay Hayward (Ancaster, Ont.) doubled to left center to even the score at 3-3.
The Lakers would strike back in the top of the fourth scoring four runs on three hits to take a 7-3 lead. After walks by Hayward and Chelsea Adcock (Pinconning, Mich.) pinch hitter Jenna Holmes (Jenison, Mich.) would launch a three-run homerun to left center to bring the Cardinals within one, 7-6.
The Cardinals would try and rally again in the sixth but wouldn't be able to score, leaving the bases loaded.
Once again Saginaw Valley would put runners into scoring position in the seventh but would be unable to move any of them across the plate as they fell to Grand Valley 7-6.
Jillian Williamson (Sebewaing, Mich. / USA HS) took the loss in the circle for the Cardinals, allowing seven runs on ten hits, while striking out five Lakers for the game.
Game 2 vs. Grand Valley - Box Score
The Cardinals would load the bases in the top of the second behind a pair of singles from Holmes and Kailah Happ (Waterford, Mich. / Kettering HS) but would be unable to push a run across the plate.
Grand Valley would use a homerun and bases loaded walk in the bottom of the second to take a 2-0 lead.
Walks to Randall, Hayward and Holmes would load the bases again in the top of the third but the Lakers would once again turn the Cardinals back to maintain their 2-0 advantage.
Saginaw Valley would try to put together a rally in the top of the seventh inning when Mackenzie Rousse (Bay City, Mich. / Bay City Western HS) walked and Randall was hit by a pitch to bring the go ahead run to the plate. SVSU would be unable to move a runner across the plate though, as they fell to the Lakers by a score of 2-0.
Williamson took the loss in game two allowing two runs as she worked her second complete game of the afternoon. She allowed six hits and struck out three Lakers in the second game.
With the losses the Cardinals fall to 10-18 overall on the season and 6-8 in the GLIAC, while the Lakers improve to 27-3 overall on the year and 15-1 in the conference. The Cardinals will return to action on Friday (Apr. 19) when they travel to Hillsdale College for a makeup contest from earlier this season with game one slated to begin at 3:30 PM.
