The Basics

Game #1: Saginaw Valley 8, Northwood 7
Game #2: Saginaw Valley 4, Northwood 3 
Fisher Softball Stadium - Midland, Mich.

MIDLAND, Mich. - The SVSU Softball team traveled to Northwood University for a conference doubleheader. The Cardinals swept the Timberwolves, winning by one run in both games after posting victories of 8-7 and 4-3 at NU's Fisher Stadium.

Game One

Shelby Weeks put the Cardinals on the board in the top of the first inning with a two run home run, scoring Meredith Rousse.

In the second inning, Lauren Bachert and Rousse each hit a long ball of their own, putting Saginaw Valley up 7-0 over the Timberwolves. Bachert hit a three-run homer, plating Bethaney Murphey and Sarah Vrabel. Rousse knocked-in Danielle Hamilton.

Northwood scored two runs in the bottom of the third and four in the fourth inning, cutting the Cardinal advantage down to one (7-6).

Madison Burgess scored in the top of the sixth inning, extending the Cardinal lead to a pair at 8-6.

The Timberwolves scored again in the seventh, cutting the lead back to one at 8-7. Saginaw Valley would come out of a two-out, bases-loaded jam and hold on for the single run victory. 

Inside the Boxscore

• Weeks hit her eighth homerun of the season. Bachert's homer was her first of the season. They each had three RBIs in the opener.
• Rousse went 2-of-3, including knocking her second home run of the season and posting two RBIs.
• The Cards had eight hits total in the opener.
• Vrabel pitched the first three innings, walking two and posting a pair of strikeouts while allowing six runs.
• Annie Hansen (4-1) tossed the next 3.2 innings, allowing one run on three hits while picking up the victory in relief.
• Sarah Appold got the save after getting the final out of the game and sealing the one-run victory for the Cards.

Game Two

Northwood posted a run in the top of the first before the Cardinals took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Evy Lobdell brought in Burgess, followed by Hamilton, who came in on a double from Vrabel.

In the third inning, the Timberwolves tied it up at 2-2.

Vrabel then batted-in Rousse in the bottom of the inning to give SV the lead, 3-2.

Burgess scored again in the fourth inning off a hit from Rousse, pushing the SVSU lead to 4-2.

Northwood added a run in the fifth inning, bringing the score to 4-3. That's where the final would remain, with the Cards moving to 18-8 overall for the 2016 campaign.

Inside the Boxscore

• Burgess and Rousse both went 3-for-4 in the nightcap. Rousse scored once and posted one RBI. Burgess crossed the place twice.
• Vrabel added two RBIs and Lobdell had one.
• Saginaw Valley tallied 10 hits in total to complete the sweep.
• Samantha Willman (4-2) pitched five innings in the start, allowing one run on two hits. Willman struck-out seven and walked three.
• Sarah Appold tossed two innings, allowing two runs on two hits, walking five and striking out four while picking up her second save of the day.

Up Next

The Cardinals will host Lake Superior State University on Friday (Apr. 5) in a GLIAC doubleheader, slated to begin at 1:00 p.m. at the SVSU Softball Complex. The game was scheduled for Sunday (Apr. 3) at noon but was postponed due to a poor weather forecast for Sunday.

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