CROWN POINT, Ind. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team defeated Ferris State, 8-5, on Saturday in the GLIAC Tournament semifinal. The Cardinals (36-14) scored three runs in the fifth to pull away from the Bulldogs (36-19) to earn the win.
Aalana Kimble (Kentwood, Mich. / East Kentwood HS) hit a lead-off double to get on base in the first inning. A single by Olivia Elliott (Baroda, Mich. / Berrien Springs) put runners on the corners. Kimble then scored on the next play due to a double steal and put SVSU ahead 1-0 early.
An RBI single to right field in the top of the second knotted the score up at one run each. Jenna Morse (Bay City, Mich. / Bay City Central HS) gets on base after getting hit by a pitch, and a fielding error keeps Morse on the basepath, and Kate Pnacek (Coleman, Mich. / Coleman HS) is granted first base. Another error by FSU loads the bases with just one out. Kimble then hits a sacrifice fly to left field that scores Morse, and the Cardinals move ahead 2-1.
Elliott added to the lead with a double to left field that scored Ella Reifschneider (Hudsonville, Mich. / Hudsonville HS), Natalie Savage (Howell, Mich. / Howell HS), and Pnacek to put the score at 5-1 through two.
Ferris State responded in the fourth with four runs on one hit and two SVSU errors to tie things for the second time.
Back-to-back walks put runners on with no outs before Macy Irelan (Owosso, Mich. / Owosso HS) enters the circle for Kimble.
A throwing error loads the bases before a single to right field scores two runs, and the Bulldogs trailed 5-3 with two outs on the board in the fourth.
A passed ball scores another run to trim the deficit to one run, and another error ties the game at five with three and a half innings left to play.
The bottom of the fifth proved to be the difference in the game as the Cardinals added three more runs to put the game at 8-5, where it would remain until the game went final.
Emma Helvie (Markle, Ind. / Huntington North HS) was hit by a pitch to get on base to lead off the inning. She moved to second on a groundout and then to third with a single to right field by Morse that put runners on the corners.
Helvie scored on a double steal attempt that had Morse reach second safely as well. The next play, Pnacek cleared the base paths with a home run over the left-field fence to increase the margin to 8-5.
Irelan forced a ground out and then a fly out before ending the sixth with a strikeout looking. She opened the seventh with another looking strikeout before forcing a flyout to right field. The game ended on a groundout to short, and the Cardinals sealed the win and advanced to the tournament championship tomorrow.
Elliott and Morse each went 2-for-2 on the day. Elliott led the team with three RBI, while Morse scored twice for SVSU. Kimble finished 1-for-1 with a run and an RBI. Pnacek had two RBI with her home run.
Kimble finished 3.0 innings of work in the circle with six strikeouts and surrendered one earned run and two hits. Irelan (W, 15-4) got the win after pitching the final 4.0 innings of play. She gave up one hit and no earned runs while sitting three hitters down on strikes.
UP NEXT: SVSU will await its opponent for the final day of the GLIAC Tournament this evening. The Cardinals will have a rematch with either Purdue Northwest or Ferris State, depending on which team survives today's final elimination contest. First pitch for tomorrow's championship round is set for noon ET.
