DETROIT, Mich. - After three weeks of waiting the Saginaw Valley State University softball team was finally able to take the field for game action as they split with Wayne State to open Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play today (Mar. 30).  The Cardinals took game one by a score of 10-4 before falling in game two 6-4. 

Game 1 vs Wayne State - Box Score
Saginaw Valley would get off to a quick start as Amanda Kimes (Caledonia, Mich.) scored on a Lindsay Hayward (Ancaster, Ont.) ground out to second base after leading off the game with a walk for the early 1-0 advantage.  

Wayne State would rally in the second inning, scoring two runs on three hits to take a 2-1 lead. 

The Cardinals would remain down by one run until they put together a three-run rally in the top of the fifth inning.  Kailah Happ (Waterford, Mich. / Kettering HS) would get things started with a double down the right field line and would score later in the inning on an infield single by Chelsea Adcock (Pinconning, Mich.).  Another Cardinal double down the right field line, this time by Mackenzie Rousse (Bay City, Mich. / Western HS), would plate Adcock.  Rousse would score the last run of the inning for the Cardinals on a Hayward double to left center.

The Warriors would once again mount a rally in the bottom of the sixth innings scoring two runs to even the score at 4-4.  Neither team would be able to add the go ahead run in the seventh inning forcing the game into an extra frame.

The Cardinals offense would explode in the top of the eighth inning, scoring six runs on four hits.  Freshman Kari Knight (Walled Lake, Mich. / Northern HS) would lead off the inning with a walk and would score later in the inning on a single by Kaitlyn McBride (Brampton, Ont. / St. Thomas Aquinas HS).   A ground out by Adcock would plate Jordan Randall (Clinton Twp, Mich.) before Hayward roped a single to center field to score Rousse for her third RBI of the game. 

Freshman Chelsea Davis (Mt. Pleasant, Mich.) would pick up her first career win after throwing the final three innings of the contest in relief of freshman Sarah Appold (Bay City, Mich. / Valley Lutheran HS) who started the game and pitched the first five innings.

Game 2 vs. Wayne State - Box Score
The Cardinals would find themselves in an early 1-0 hole after the Warriors scored a run on one hit to get game two started.

SVSU would in the bottom of the second when Ashley Beal (Milan, Mich.) scored on a bunt single by McBride that ended up in right center.  McBride would score later in the inning on a single through the right side by Adcock for the 2-1 lead.

Wayne State would add two runs in the top of both the fourth and fifth inning for a 5-2 advantage before the Cardinals added a run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Jenna Holmes ripped a single through the right side to score Rousse to make the score 5-3.

The Warriors would add an insurance run in the top of the sixth inning as they looked to hold off the Cardinals in the final two innings.

Saginaw Valley would add a run in the bottom of the seventh when Shleby Weeks (Warren, Mich. / Woods Tower HS) crossed the plate on a two out single by Randall, but the Warriors would stall the SVSU rally as they went on to the 6-4 victory. 

With the split the Cardinals are now 5-11 overall on the season and 1-1 in the GLIAC, while Wayne State is now 10-12 overall and 1-1 in the conference.

Saginaw Valley will return to action on Tuesday (Apr. 2) when they travel to Findlay for a GLIAC doubleheader.