KIRKSVILLE, Mo. -- The No. 24 SVSU Softball team fell in a pair of one-run, last-inning matchups on Sunday (Mar. 4) afternoon at Truman State University. The Bulldogs came back from down three runs in the opener before escaping for the 5-4 win in nine innings and continued to another single run win in the nightcap, 4-3.
Game 1 (L, 5-4 | 9 Innings)
After the Bulldogs took an early 1-0 lead in the home half of the 1st inning, the Cardinals responded to grab a 2-1 lead in the top of the 3rd. Danielle Hamilton singled and later scored on an error and Meredith Rousse had an RBI single that plated Maddy Burgess for the second run.
That lead would push to 4-1 in the visitor's half of the 6th inning when a Meagen VerVaecke RBI single pushed Alexis Cerven across. Then, an RBI single from Hamilton later scored Vervaecke for the team's fourth run.
Truman capitalized on some small ball and an SVSU mistake in the bottom of the 7th and would score three runs to knot the score at 4-4 and force extra-innings.
The game went scoreless until the 9th frame. That's when Truman escaped a Cardinal scoring threat and would use a single, steal and defensive error to score the game-winning run and finish the game up 5-4.
Burgess went 3-for-5 in the game with a run scored and stolen base. Hamilton was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Lauren Bachert had a pair of hits as well while Rousse and VerVaecke each had a hit and RBI, with VerVaecke's hit being the visitors' only extra-base hit (2B). Courtney Reeves had a hit and walked twice, adding two steals.
Kasey Bagelmann (0-1) took the loss in the circle, working the final 7.0 innings. She allowed three earned runs on six hits, striking-out one and walking two.
Game 2 (L, 4-3)
Truman jumped right out in front in the second game, going for a pair of runs in the 1st and another in the 2nd to take the 3-0 lead.
The top of the 3rd saw the visitors trim the deficit to 3-2, using a two-RBI single from Rousse that scored Burgess and Becky Corbett.
Another crucial run came the Cardinals' way in the top of the 6th, as SVSU tied the score up at 3-3. Reeves walked to lead-off the inning and was advanced to second by an Eby Lobdell bunt single. Reeves then moved up to third on a groundout and scored on a VerVaecke sac fly.
The Bulldogs would again capitalize on a Cardinal mistake, as their lead-off hitter reached in the bottom of the 7th inning. She moved into scoring position after a wild pitch with no outs. A pair of bunts would follow, allowing the game-winning run to score for the 4-3 Truman win.
Rousse had a hit, stolen base and two RBI for the Cards. Burgess added a hit, two walks, run scored and pair of steals. VerVaecke had the other RBI while Julia Miller had the only extra-base hit for SV with a double.
Elayne Young (0-1) took the loss pitching, working 5.1 innings while allowing just one run on four hits. She had two strikeouts and two walks. Anna Conard got the start, giving up three runs on a pair of hits with four walks.
Up Next...
The Cardinals are back in action on Tuesday (Mar. 6) when they travel to play at Maryville (Mo.) in another doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 3:00 p.m. eastern time in St. Louis, Missouri. Follow live stats via the softball schedule on www.svsucardinals.com.
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