UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – Saginaw Valley State took on
the Bulldogs of Ferris State this afternoon in the championship
round of the NCAA Division II Softball Midwest Regional #2
Tournament, with the winner going on to face Indianapolis, who had
defeated Wayne State University earlier in the day in Midwest
Regional #1. Jade Fulton (Byron, Mich.) got the start for the
Cardinals, twirling a two-hit three-strikeout shutout to send SVSU
to the NCAA Division II Softball Super Regional on Friday and
Saturday.
The first threat of the game came when Ferris State put runners on
first and second with one out in the top of the fifth inning
following a Nicole Fick (Lapeer, Mich./West HS) error allowing the
runner to reach first base, a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to
second base, and a walk. However, Fulton would buckle down and
force a pop-up to the third baseman and a flyout to center field to
end the Bulldog threat.
In what looked like a replay in Saturday’s game against
Northern Kentucky, the Cardinals were no-hit through five innings,
before Nikki Bigelow (Grandville, Mich.) took hold of a 1-1 count
pitch and drove it off the State Farm sign on the scoreboard in
left-center field to give Saginaw Valley their first hit and first
run of the game.
A pop-up to second base and a groundout to second base set the
stage for Fulton’s game-ending and Midwest Regional #2-ending
strikeout of pinch-hitter Shannon Roney to send the Cardinals to
the Midwest Super Regional against Indianapolis.
Both teams recorded only two hits on the day, with Ferris
State’s hits coming from Rachel Wade and Lynsay Weaver, while
Saginaw Valley’s hits came from Bigelow and pinch-hitter
Jordan Stuart (Richmond, Mich.).
Ferris State’s Kayle Stevenson turned in a final line of 6.0
innings pitched, two hits allowed, and one earned run, as she took
her first loss of the season, ending the year with a record of
12-1, and ending Ferris State’s season with a 35-10 overall
record.
Fulton’s victory moved her to 18-5 on the season.
As Saginaw Valley was the highest seed remaining in the region, the
Cardinals will be awaiting word on hosting the Midwest Super
Regional on Friday and Saturday here on the campus of SVSU. The
decision will be known sometime Monday evening.
Bigelows Solo Shot Gives Saginaw a Regional Championship
Posted: May 10, 2009