ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team used another complete game from ace pitcher Emily Depew (W, 16-6) to move past Parkside in a 5-4 decision to advance to the Championship game on Sunday. The Cardinals (34-14) had a finishing line of five runs, seven hits, and one error in the win.

Sara Moos was a perfect 2-2 at the plate with a walk in the victory. Katelyn Pnacek had a team-high two RBI. Jackie Popko and Sarah Gersch were both 1-3 with an RBI. Popko also added two runs herself while Gersch tallied one as well. Paige Kolinski had a similar line with 1-3 at the plate and an RBI.

An RBI single in the second gave the Rangers an early 1-0 lead. Two singles and a sacrifice fly added three more runs for Parkside in the third inning as they built a 4-0 lead.

Pnacek then tripled to right center in the bottom half of the third to score Popko and Sydney Herioux to cut the Ranger lead in half. Gersch responded with a double to left field to bring Pnacek home to come within one run of tying things up. Kolinski singled to center two batters later to score Gersch and the Cardinals knotted things at four after three innings of play.

Popko smashed a solo home run to left field in the fourth that proved to be the difference and give SVSU the win and ticket to championship day on Sunday.

Depew's final line in the circle was 7.0 innings pitched, four runs, two walks, and six strikeouts, and, most importantly, the win.

UP NEXT

The SVSU softball team will play the winner of the third game on day three between Grand Valley State and Parkside on Sunday at 11:00 a.m., CDT. The Cardinals need to lose twice to surrender the title.