UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team split a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) doubleheader against Wayne State on Friday afternoon. The Cardinals (29-12, 13-6 GLIAC) took game one 4-1 before falling 6-3 in the nightcap.
Jackie Popko registered three hits to lead SVSU in that category. The senior also scored two runs to give her sole possession of the career runs scored record with 161. Popko also got on base by forcing three walks and stealing two bases. Katelyn Pnacek hit two home runs, both two-RBI tallies, to give her four RBI on the afternoon. Sarah Gersch hit a home run for her only hit of the afternoon.
Game 1: Saginaw Valley State def. Wayne State, 4-1
Pnacek got things going with a two-run home run after two scoreless innings started game one. Gersch followed that up with a solo shot on the very next at-bat and just like that, SVSU led 3-0 after three innings.
A single up the middle scored a run for the Warriors in the top half of the fifth before the final run of the game came off a wild pitch in the bottom half to give the game its final score, 4-1.
Emily Depew (W, 12-4) pitched another complete game to start off the day for the Cardinals. She struck out five while only allowing four hits and one run in the winning effort.
Game 2: Wayne State def. Saginaw Valley State, 6-3
Pnacek started game two in a similar fashion to the previous game with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to put the Cardinals up 2-0.
A walk with the bases loaded gave the Warriors their first run of the second game in the top of the third. Two more runners crossed the plate on the next play with a single up the middle and the score was 3-2, Wayne State, after three.
Pnacek showed off her good eye with a bases-loaded walk to score Emily Beckas and tie the game in the bottom of the fourth.
A run in the sixth and two more in the seventh reclaimed the lead for the Warriors, 6-3. The Cardinals experienced a three-up-three-down inning in their final chance to rally.
Alyssa Muench (L, 8-4) got the start in the circle for game two. Muench went 6.0 innings and struck out two while giving up all six of Wayne State's runs to earn the loss. Jaclyn Groves pitched an inning in relief and allowed a hit and walked a batter.
UP NEXT
The SVSU softball team will take a short road trip to Midland, Michigan to face off against former conference opponent Northwood on Monday, April 24. Game one is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m.
