ASHLAND, Ohio - The Saginaw Valley State University softball team dropped a pair of contest to Ashland University today (Mar. 24), 3-2 (10 inn.) and 5-4.  The Cardinals are now 9-9 overall on the season and 2-2 in the GLIAC, while Ashland improves to 19-5 overall and 3-1 in the GLIAC.

Game 1
The Cardinals fell behind 1-0 after the Eagles hit a homerun in the bottom of the first inning.  SVSU would even the game on a Kailah Happ (Waterford, Mich./Kettering HS) homerun in the sixth inning.  Natalie Wellman (Fairhaven,  Mich./Anchor Bay HS) would give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth inning with her second homerun of the season.  Ashland answered with a run in the bottom of the ninth inning and would score a run in the bottom of the 10th to notch the win in game one.

Alexa Gehrls (Caledonia, Mich.) started in the circle for the Cardinals, throwing 9.1 innings in the loss.  She struck out nine hitters and allowed three runs on the afternoon. Wellman led Saginaw Valley going three-for-four at the plate, while Lindsay Hayward (Ancaster, Ont.) and Mallie Hall (Chicago, Ill./Bolingbrook HS) each added a hit.

Game 2
Ashland once again took an early lead over the Cardinals in game two when they scored one run on one hit in the top of the first inning and extended their lead to 3-0 in the second adding two runs on three hits.

Saginaw Valley got their offense started in the fourth inning when senior Ashley Coffin (Sterling Heights, Mich./Stephenson HS) doubled down the the right field line and Hayward singled to center, allowing Coffin to score.

The Eagles took a 5-1 lead over the Cardinals in the sixth inning when they scored two runs on one hit and capitilized on one SVSU error. 

The hitting combination of Coffin and Hayward once again came through for Saginaw Valley in the bottom of the sixth as Coffin singled to center field and Hayward drove her in on a single to left field, bringing the Cardinals within three of Ashland.

Saginaw Valley attempted to battle back in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring two runs on three hits, when Hayward picked up her fourth RBI of the contest, but it would not be enough as they would fall 5-4 to the Eagles.

Jillian Williamson (Unionville/Sebewaing, Mich./Unionville Sebewaing Area HS) suffered the loss for the Cardinals pitching five innings with four strikeouts, and Jill Kaltz (Sterling Heights, Mich./Henry Ford II) closed the game pitching two innings. Haywad led the way for SVSU going three-for-four at the plate and driving in four runs, while Coffin was two-for-four and score twice.

Saginaw Valley will be back in action on Sunday (Mar. 25) when they cap off their weekend on the road, traveling to Ohio Dominican. First pitch is scheduled for noon.