CROWN POINT, Ind. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team defeated Ferris State 2-1 in nine innings to win the 2026 GLIAC Tournament Championship on Sunday afternoon. The Cardinals (37-14) became the second team in GLIAC history to win five-straight tournament titles (Wayne State won the tournament from 2012 to 2016).
SVSU stranded six baserunners through the first three innings as the Bulldogs (37-20) scored a run in the top of the third with the bases loaded on a fielder's choice play.
Saginaw Valley State threatened in the bottom of the sixth with a runner on third, but stranded her. Jenna Morse (Bay City, Mich. / Bay City Central HS) knotted things up with a single to right field that brought Emma Bolding (Greenfield, Ind. / Eastern Hancock HS) home and put Aalana Kimble (Kentwood, Mich. / East Kentwood HS) on third with just one out, but FSU turned two with the bases loaded to get out of the inning with a tie and force extra innings.
Kimble walked in the bottom of the ninth to get on base with one out. Morse then singled to right field to move Kimble into scoring position. Olivia Elliott (Baroda, Mich. / Berrien Springs HS) was walked to load the bases and Kate Pnacek (Coleman, Mich. / Coleman HS) hit a walk off single to center field to give the Cardinals their fifth-straight GLIAC tournament title.
Morse finished the game 3-for-5 with an RBI to lead the way offensively. Pnacek was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Kimble (1-for-4) and Ella Schneider (Southfield, Mich. / Berkley HS) (1-for-4) recorded hits.
Macy Irelan (Owosso, Mich. / Owosso HS) (W, 16-4) pitched all nine innings for the Cardinals to earn her 16th win of the season. She surrendered six hits and one run while sitting down six Bulldogs on strikes.
UP NEXT: The Saginaw Valley State softball team will now await the matchup and location of the Regional Tournaments to be announced by the NCAA tomorrow morning at 10 AM on NCAA.com.
