HAMMOND, Ind. -- After posting a weekend sweep of four non-conference games this past weekend, the Cardinals tacked-on another two wins in a row with a mid-week twinbill sweep at Purdue Northwest. Saginaw Valley posted a 4-2 victory in the first game of the day before claiming a 9-2 decision in the final contest in a game that was called after five innings due to darkness.
Game 1
SVSU got on the board with a pair of runs in the top of the 2nd, using a two-RBI single from Danielle Hamilton that allowed Evy Lobdell and Courtney Reeves to score after both singled in the inning.
Another single run came the Cardinals' way in the top of the 3rd frame, adding on to those two runs and making the score 3-0. That run came courtesy of a Julia Miller sacrifice fly that pushed Maddy Burgess across the plate. She singled to reach base and was moved to third on a Reeves double.
The opener reached a 4-0 lead for the visitors in the top of the 5th when Reeves stepped to the plate with one out and smashed a solo home run to left field. It was her seventh of the season, which leads the GLIAC and now puts her fourth all-time in program history with 22.
The Pride got a two-run long ball in the home half of the 7th inning, finishing the game's scoring and giving SV the 4-2 victory.
Reeves had the team's only two extra-base hits, going 3-4 with the home run, a double, two runs and one RBI. Hamilton was 1-2 with two RBI while Lobdell went 2-3 with a run scored. Miller had the other RBI.
Mikayla Alexandrou (4-3) worked 6.1 innings in the circle, picking up the victory for SV. She allowed two runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Kasey Bagelmann worked the final 0.2 innings, picking-up her first career save.
Game 2
After the Pride got out to a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st, the Cards responded with seven runs in the top of the 2nd to take a 7-2 advantage. Miller led-off the frame with a solo home run. Meagan VerVaecke (1) and Meredith Rousse (2) had RBI in the inning while VerVaecke, Hamilton and Becky Corbett would also score on errors.
Aubree Mouthaan added a solo home run in the top of the 3rd, pushing the lead out to 8-2.
The final run of the game came in the top of the 4th when Lobdell was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, making the score 9-2. That would prove to be the final and the game was called after five complete innings due to the darkness setting in.
Anna Conard improved to 7-2 on the 2017-18 campaign after pitching all 5.0 innings in the nightcap. She allowed two runs on four hits, striking-out five batters and walking just one.
Mouthaan had a 2-3 performance with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI. Rousse was 2-4 with a double, two RBI and a pair of runs scored. She is the all-time leader in career doubles now, as she has 40. Hamilton was 2-3 with an RBI while Miller's only hit of the game was the 2nd inning solo shot. She added a walk as well.
Up Next...
Saginaw Valley continues on the road, as the Cardinals play at Davenport University Friday (Mar. 23) in another league twinbill. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. in Grand Rapids.
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