UNIVERSITY CENTER, MICH. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team took the season series 3-1 over Wayne State after splitting in a home doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals (25-18, 12-8 GLIAC) scored a run in four straight innings to take game one, 4-1. Game two was a 2-1 win for the Warriors (15-24, 7-11 GLIAC) after the visitors took a two-run lead in the first inning.
GAME ONE – SVSU 4 – WAYNE STATE 1
Emily Depew (W, 13-6) earned the start and win in the circle to give her a baker's dozen in the win column this season. Depew tallied another complete game in the appearance and struck out eight WSU batters to move over 600 career strikeouts.
A single to left center in the top of the second scored a run for the Warriors who managed just a 1-0 lead despite having the bases loaded with no outs in the inning.
Alyssa Muench tied the game in the bottom of the third inning with a single to left center that scored Aalana Kimble.
Maddie Campagna then smashed a home run (her fourth this season) to center field in the fourth inning to move SVSU ahead 2-1.
Olivia Sabin singled to center field in the fifth inning to bring Natalie Savage home, who was pinch running for Sara Moos after the third baseman hit her 17th double of the 2024 campaign.
Katelyn Pnacek put the exclamation point on game one with a solo shot to left field that put the Cardinals up 4-1. The home run was Pnacek's fourth of the season.
Campagna and Pnacek came out swinging in game one as they led SVSU at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two singles and a home run. Muench, Moos, Sabin, and Sydney Herioux recorded a hit in the game, with Moos recording a double.
GAME TWO – WAYNE STATE 2 – SVSU 1
The Warriors began game two with two singles to get a runner in scoring position. The effort would get cashed in later in the inning with a ground-out RBI followed by a single to left field for the 2-0 lead after the opening frame.
Kimble (L, 6-6) was the starting pitcher for the Cardinals in game two. Kimble went all seven innings and sat down four batters in the losing effort.
Campagna would maintain the momentum she built in game one with a single up the middle that scored Sabin and cut the Wayne State lead in half in the second inning. Saginaw Valley failed to capitalize more in the frame as they left three runners stranded.
SVSU wouldn't threaten again as both defenses tightened to keep the last five innings scoreless and keep the score at 2-1 in favor of the Warriors when the last out was recorded.
Mya Purdy led the offensive effort as she tallied two singles in her three plate appearances. Campagna went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Sabin was 1-for-2 with a double in the game.
UP NEXT
The Cardinals remain at home to host GLIAC opponent Davenport for SVSU's Senior Day tomorrow (Sunday, April 21). The first pitch of game one is set for noon.
