UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – Saginaw Valley softball team took two today (Apr. 16) in its doubleheader against Grand Valley State University with scores of 4-3, and 9-4.

GAME ONE
The Cardinals took the lead in the bottom of the second inning when Jillian Peterson (Freeland, Mich. / Freeland HS) hit her first homerun of the season.

Saginaw Valley scored two runs in the third inning when Vanessa Briggs (Freeland, Mich. / Freeland HS) walked to lead off and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Angela Kaiser (Waterford, Mich. / Our Lady of the Lakes). Senior Marsha Beaubien (Alpena, Mich. / Alpena HS) would then double to center field. With one out, senior Jessica Anhel (Oxford, Mich. / Oxford HS) hit a double to left field scoring Beaubien.

Grand Valley battled back from the three run deficit with a three run homerun in the top of the fourth knotting the score at three each which forced the game into extra innings.

In the bottom of the eighth, Kaiser led off hitting a walk off homerun for the Cardinals.

Sophomore Jade Fulton (Byron, Mich. / Byron HS) pitched all eight innings striking out 12 and allowing six hits. Fulton’s record improves to 14-4 overall.

GAME TWO
Saginaw Valley got their bats going in the third inning when they scored four runs. Kaiser would lead off for the Cardinals with a single up the middle. Beaubien would reach on a throwing error and Kaiser would advance to third on the throw. Senior Stacy Kraatz (Howell, Mich. / Hartland HS) then hit a three-run homerun to put Saginaw Valley up by three. Senior Nicole Fick (Columbiaville, Mich. / Lapeer West HS) would then step into the box with one out and hit a homerun into left field.

The Lakers would take advantage of three Cardinal errors in the bottom of the third inning and score three runs to put the score at 4-3.

The Cardinals once again scored four runs in the top of the fourth. Junior Nicole Bigelow (Grandville, Mich. / Grandville HS) would lead off for Saginaw Valley with a single to right field. Billi Hoeppner (Hemlock, Mich. / Hemlock HS) then came in pinch ran for Bigelow as Jessica McKeith (River Rouge, Mich. / River Rouge HS) laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Hoeppner to second base. Kaiser would step in and get walked. Kraatz hit a single to right field and scored both Hoeppner and Kaiser. Tory Watson (Oxford, Oh. / Talawanda HS) then came in to pinch run for Kraatz. Anhel singled up the middle and Watson advanced to second on the hit and to third on a pass ball. Fick singled up the middle scoring both Watson and Anhel.

In the top of the fifth Saginaw Valley would score one more run when Bigelow singled to the pitcher. Freshman Ashley Coffin (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Stephenson HS) pinch ran for Bigelow. McKeith would lay down her second sacrifice bunt of the game advancing Coffin to second base. Kaiser would then step in and hit a triple to right field scoring Coffin.

Kraatz would get the win for the Cardinals striking out 11 and allowing six hits in 5.1 innings. Beth Rockman (Fenton, Mich. / Fenton HS) would pitch 1.2 innings striking out two and allowing no hits. Kraatz would improve her record to 8-3 overall.

With the wins Saginaw Valley is 30-8 overall on the season and 17-3 in the GLIAC, while Grand Valley moves to 30-13 overall on the season and 10-8 in the GLIAC. The Cardinals will return to action on Sunday Apr. 19 when they will host Wayne State University. First pitch is scheduled to be thrown at noon.