UNIVERSITY CENTER -- The Cardinal Softball team hosted the Ashland University Eagles on Sunday afternoon in a pair of GLIAC contests at the SVSU Softball Complex. Saginaw Valley lost both in a pair of close games, falling 7-6 in the first before dropping the second by an 11-7 count.
The Cardinals are now 8-10 overall and 1-5 in the GLIAC. Ashland improves to 20-10 overall and 6-4 in league play.
Game 1
SV went for single runs in the 1st, 3rd and 5th innings but trailed the Eagles by a score of 7-3 after five complete. The Cards got RBI hits from Blasia Moyler, Julia Salisbury and Meagan VerVaecke for the runs.
Things got interesting in the bottom of the 7th inning, as SVSU pushed to get back in the ball game. After two singles, VerVaecke would rip a three-run home run, the first of her career, to trim the deficit to 7-6 with just one out.
After a Salisbury double that followed, Ashland would eventually close-out the contest for the 7-6 win.
VerVaecke went 2-4 with the home run and four RBI. Salisbury had two hits with an RBI and Aubree Mouthaan added a pair of knocks. Moyler had a hit, RBI and walked twice. Mouthaan, VerVaecke, Salisbury and Jackie Popko all had doubles as well.
Julia Mundy (4-3) took the loss pitching, working 4.0 innings. She allowed seven runs on eight hits, striking-out two and walking one. Only three of the runs were earned.
Game 2
The Eagles jumped out to a 5-0 lead through the top of the 3rd inning but the Cards responded with five runs of their own in the bottom half, tying the game at 5-5.
Mouthaan had an RBI infield single for the first run and that was followed by a two-RBI single from VerVaecke. Salisbury had an infield single herself, adding an RBI for the fourth run. Morgan Duda capped the inning's scoring off with an RBI single to left center.
The fourth inning saw SV tack-on another pair of runs to take a 7-5 lead over Ashland. Those runs came via a two-run home run to left center from Moyler.
That, however, would end the home team's scoring, as AU went for a run in the 5th, four in the 6th and another in the 7th to seal an 11-7 victory for the sweep.
VerVaecke stayed hot at the plate, adding three more hits in four trips with two RBI. Salisbury added two hits with an RBI, Mouthaan had a hit and RBI while Moyler had two runs driven-in on the long ball.
Jaclyn Groves (1-1) had the loss in the circle, pitching 4.0 innings while allowing six runs. Only two of the runs were earned. She walked two and had three strikeouts.
Up Next...
SVSU travels to play at new GLIAC member, Parkside, on Tuesday (Apr. 2) afternoon. First pitch for the league twinbill will be 4:00 p.m. eastern time from Kenosha, Wisconsin.
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