HAMMOND, Ind. -- Playing in a second straight road GLIAC doubleheader, the SVSU Softball team faced Purdue Northwest on Sunday afternoon. The Cardinals claimed the opener, holding on to a 4-3 victory before falling by an 11-3 score in the nightcap.
With the split, Saginaw Valley is now 13-13 on the season and 6-8 in the GLIAC. The Pride improves to 17-11 and 8-6 in league action.
Game 1
SV jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the 3rd when Blasia Moyler hit her league leading ninth home run of the season over the fence in right center.
The Pride scored a pair in the 4th inning on a two-run home run to take the 2-1 lead but the Cardinals responded to knot the game at 2-2 in the top of the 6th when Julia Salisbury drove home Aubree Mouthaan.
Another two runs came SVSU's way in the visitor half of the 7th as Jackie Popko hit her third home run of the season, scoring Shelby Misiak for a 4-2 lead.
PNW threatened in the bottom of the inning, scoring a run on an RBI double with no outs to trim the deficit to 4-3.
Jaclyn Groves would then enter at pitcher for starter Mikayla Alexandrou, getting three straight outs to nail down the victory and record her first save of the season. Alexandrou got the win after working 6.0 + innings. She allowed three runs on eight hits, walking one batter while moving to 4-2 on the year.
Popko had the home run and two RBI for the Cards while Salisbury had the double and an RBI. Meagan VerVaecke was the only Cardinal with two hits in the contest. Moyler had the solo home run. Mouthaan had the other extra-base hit with a double. Alexis Cerven had a hit and stolen base while Sarah Gersch picked up her first collegiate hit.
Game 2
The Cardinals got out in front first again in the second game, taking a 2-0 lead after Moyler had an RBI double to plate Popko and VerVaecke drilled an RBI single to score Moyler.
After the Pride scored a single run in the 1st to make the score 2-1, Saginaw Valley got a third run in the 3rd when Popko hit yet another home run to push the lead to 3-1.
Purdue Northwest had a big home half of the inning, however, going for five runs to take the led at 6-3.
The Pride added three more in the 4th and two in the 6th, holding the Cardinals scoreless the rest of the way to win 11-3 in six innings.
Popko had three hits with the home run and RBI. Mouthaan had two hits in three at-bats. Moyler had the RBI double while VerVaecke had the other RBI on a hit. Cerven and Becky Corbett added a base knock as well. VerVaecke currently leads the GLIAC with a .437 batting average.
Hannah Atwell (2-2) took the loss in the circle, working 2.0 innings while allowing four runs on five hits. Lexie McAfee and Groves pitched the remainder, allowing seven runs on eight hits.
Up Next...
SVSU has a Monday regional twinbill at Lewis University. The first pitch for game one will be 2:00 p.m. eastern time from Romeoville, Illinois.
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