UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team split with Tiffin University, defeating the Dragons 7-3 before falling 1-0 in the nightcap. With the split the Cardinals move to 17-19 overall on the season and 10-12 in the GLIAC, while Tiffin moves to 22-19 overall on the season and 13-11 in the GLIAC.
Game 1
Tiffin was the first to light up the scoreboard in the top of the third inning when they scored three runs on an Amanda Tempe single to left center field.
Saginaw Valley answered back in the bottom of the third inning when the Cardinals loaded the bases with two outs and senior Natalie Wellman (Fairhaven, Mich./Anchor Bay HS) drove a double to right center field clearing the bases and knotting the score at 3-3.
The Cardinals took the 7-3 lead over the Dragons in the bottom of the fifth inning when Amanda Kimes (Caledonia, Mich.) stepped in with bases loaded, two outs and drove a ball deep down the right field line, clearing the bases for an in park grand slam.
Alexa Gehrls (Caledonia, Mich.) picked up her 12th win of the season pitching all seven innings, with seven strikeouts. Kimes led the way for the Cardinals going one-for-three at the plate with four runs batted in, while Wellman was one-for-two with three runs batted in.
Game 2
The lone run of the contest came in the bottom of the fourth inning when Tiffin's Meagan Baird hit a homerun over the left field fence.
The Cardinals tried to get something going in the top of the third inning when freshman Mackenzie Rousse (Bay City, Mich./Western HS) lined a single to right field and stole second, but would be unable to come around and score.
Junior Jillian Williamson (Unionville, Mich/USA HS) suffered the loss pitching six innings with five strikeouts, while Rousse and Hayward each added a hit for Saginaw Valley.
The Cardinals will be back in action on Sunday (Apr. 15) when they take on the University of Findlay in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) contest. First pitch of the double header is scheduled for noon.