EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Following an opening day split at the 2017 Midwest Region Crossover Tournament, the SVSU softball team had a similar result in play on Saturday. SVSU dropped the opener to Drury by a 4-1 score before coming back and posting a 7-2 defeat of McKendree in the late game.
With the split, Saginaw Valley is now 4-5 overall and 4-4 against regional opponents for 2017.
Game One – Drury
The Panthers did all of their scoring in the bottom of the 1st, posting five straight hits, including a three-run home run and an RBI double, to take a 4-0 lead.
Saginaw Valley scored its only run of the game on a bases loaded walk, as Danielle Hamilton scored when Aubree Mouthaan was walked to cut the deficit to 4-1.
That would finish the game's scoring, as Drury sealed the three-run victory.
Inside the Boxscore
- Anna Conard came on in relief of Hannah Atwell (0-1), who took the loss and gave up four runs on five hits while working 0+ innings. Conard fired 6.0 innings of no-hit ball, registering a career-high seven strikeouts.
- Hamilton posted two hits and scored the only run in the game for SVSU. She added two steals on the base paths.
- Courtney Reeves had the other two base hits.
Game Two – McKendree
Saturday's nightcap marked the second time the Cardinals faced the Bearcats, as they defeated them by an 8-5 count on February 18 at the Music City Invitational. The final result would be the same, with SVSU notching 10 hits in another victory.
SV got out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st when Meredith Rousse knocked-in Danielle Hamilton, who singled to lead-off the half. After Rousse stole second and moved to third on a throwing error, Evy Lobdell laced an RBI single to right field to score her.
The bottom of the 3rd would see the designated home team Cardinals add a trio of runs to push the advantage out to 5-0. Madison Burgess and Rousse had back-to-back doubles, setting up runners on second and third with Mouthaan digging-in. She cleared the bases, driving one deep over the left field fence for the three-run blast and her second home run of the season.
Saginaw Valley added another two runs in the bottom of the 5th, making the lead 7-0. Lobdell plated Mouthaan from first with an RBI double and a Conard infield single drew an errant throw, scoring Lobdell as well.
The Bearcats scored their first run in the top of the 6th on a sac fly to center and added another run in the 7th on an RBI single. The final count would stand at 7-2, however, with the Cardinals claiming victory.
Inside the Boxscore
- Annie Hansen (2-1) earned the complete game victory in the circle. She allowed just a single earned run on five hits, striking-out one batter.
- Lobdell was 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBI and a run in the victory.
- Mouthaan had the three-run shot as her only hit and scored twice.
- Rousse had two hits with a double, RBI and two runs scored.
- Burgess notched two hits with a double and run.
- Hamilton had a base hit with a run while Conard had the other hit for SV.
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