UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team swept Lake Superior State today (Apr. 4) 9-2 and 3-2 in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) contest. With the wins the Cardinals improve to 13-13 overall on the season and 6-6 in the GLIAC, while the Lakers fall to 5-14 overall on the season and 2-10 in the GLIAC.
Game 1
Saginaw Valley took the 1-0 lead over Lake Superior in the bottom of the third inning when Natalie Wellman (Fairhaven, Mich./Anchor Bay HS) reached first on an error, allowing Jordan Randall (Clinton, Twp., Mich.) to score from third.
The Lakers wasted no time answering back in the top of the fourth inning when Ali Lince hit a homerun down the left field line, knotting the score at 1-1.
The Cardinals regained their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Randall drove a three-run home run over the left center fence, giving SVSU the 4-1 advantage. Lindsey Hayward (Ancaster, Ont.) extended the Saginaw Valley lead to 5-1 when she laced a single to center field, bringing in Kailah Happ (Waterford, MIch./Kettering HS).
Lake Superior added their final run of the contest in the top of the sixth inning when they scored one run on three hits.
Hayward picked up her fourth RBI of the day when she hit a three-run home run over the center field fence scoring both Wellman and Happ, allowing SVSU to take the 8-2 lead over the Lakers. The Cardinals tacked on one more run in the bottom of the sixth inning when pinch hitter Amanda Kimes (Caledonia, Mich.) grounded out to second base, allowing pinch runner Mackenzie Rousse (Bay City, Mich./Western HS) to score from third base.
Junior Alexa Gehrls (Caledonia, Mich.) picked up the win for Saginaw Valley pitching a complete game with five strikeouts and only one walk. Hayward led the way for the Cardinals going three-for-four with four runs batted in, while Randall was two-for-four with three runs batted in.
Game 2
Lake Superior came out strong in game two, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning on two hits and capitalizing on one Cardinal error.
Saginaw Valley knotted the score at 2-2 when senior Ashley Coffin (Sterling Heights, Mich./Stephenson HS) stepped in with the bases loaded and laced a single through the right side of the field, bringing in two runs.
The Cardinals secured the win in the top of the sixth inning when Hayward hit her second home run of the afternoon over the left center fence, allowing SVSU to go on to a 3-2 victory over the Lakers.
Jillian Williamson (Unionville, Mich./USA HS) pitched the complete game in the circle with three strikeouts, while Hayward was one-for-two at the plate, scoring twice and having one RBI. Kimes finished the contest going three-for-three, while Coffin was one-for-three with two runs batted in.
Saginaw Valley will be back in action on Friday (Apr. 6) when they travel to Grand Valley for a GLIAC match-up. The double header is scheduled to start at 3:30 PM.