ASHLAND, Ohio - The Saginaw Valley State University softball team suffered their first Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) loses today (Apr. 11) when they were defeated by Ashland University 4-3 in eight innings, and 4-1.
Game One
The Cardinals gave themselves a three run lead in the second inning after senior Nicole Bigelow (Grandville, Mich.) hit a three run homerun. Senior Angela Kaiser (Waterford, Mich. / Our Lady of the Lakes HS) started things for Saginaw Valley when she singled up the middle and junior Jessica McKeith (River Rouge, Mich.) got on base after an Ashland error. Bigelow dug into the box and ripped a homerun to right center to give the Cardinals a three run advantage.
Ashland would battle back to score one run on a homerun in the second inning, and score in both the third and the fifth innings. The game would be forced into extra innings as the score was knotted at three at the end of seven. The Cardinals attempted to get something started but it would not be enough, as Ashland would score in the bottom of the eighth to give them the 4-3 win.
Kari Bowlby (Elkhart, Ind.) got the start for Saginaw Valley pitching five innings with two strikeouts and one walk. Sophomore Lauren Memmer (White Lake, Mich. / Lakeland HS) came in for relief and suffered the loss making her 2-2 on the season. Memmer had two strikeouts and gave up only one hit.
Game Two
Ashland picked up where the left off in the first game scoring two runs on three hits in the top of the first inning and tack on two more runs before the Cardinals would be able to push their first run across the plate.
Saginaw Valley started to battle in the bottom of the sixth when Memmer singled to the pitcher and stole second base. Junior Jillian Peterson (Freeland, Mich.) reached first base on an error, which scored Memmer with two outs. The Cardinals looked as if they were going to start a two out rally when Kaiser singled through the left side and advanced Peterson to second. Both Peterson and Kaiser advanced on a pass ball but it would not be enough.
Freshman Alexa Gehrls (Caledonia, Mich.) started the second game pitching three innings in the circle and suffered the loss making her 1-1 on the season. Memmer once again came in for relief pitching four innings with three strikeouts.
With the loss Saginaw Valley falls to 21-4 on the season, and 8-2 in the GLIAC, while Ashland improves to 21-9 overall on the season, and 10-4 in the GLIAC. The Cardinals will be back in action on Wednesday (Apr. 14) when they travel to Northwood University. The double header is scheduled for 3:00pm.