UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team took two today (May 2) from Grand Valley State, 2-1, and 4-2 in eight innings. The Cardinals finished the regular season sixth and are scheduled to play the number three seed Northwood in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) tournament.
GAME ONE
Game one remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning when senior Angela Kaiser (Waterford, Mich. / Our Lady of the Lakes HS) hit a line drive homerun to score two runs, which would be the only runs the Cardinals needed to win the game.
The Lakers tried to battle back in the seventh inning when they scored one run on a homerun. Saginaw Valley ended the game with five hits and five runners left on base.
Freshman Alexa Gehrls (Caledonia, Mich.) started the game in the circle going six innings making her 2-4 on the season, while Lauren Memmer (White Lake, Mich. / Lakeland HS) picked up the save for Saginaw Valley.
GAME TWO
Game two was a pitcher's dual until the fifth inning when the Lakers broke it open scoring two runs on three hits and two errors by Saginaw Valley. The Cardinals answered right back scoring two runs to knot the score in the top of the sixth inning. Junior Ashley Jordan (Freeland, Mich.) singled to second base and Jillian Peterson (Freeland, Mich.) singled to give the Cardinals two runners with one out. Both Jordan and Peterson advanced on a fly out to center field. Sophomore Ashley Coffin (Sterling Height, Mich. / Stephenson HS) doubled to right center scoring both runners.
Jessica McKeith (River Rouge, Mich.) led off with a bunt single and stole second base in the top of the eighth inning. McKeith advanced to third on a fly out and scored on a squeeze play by Kaiser. Coffin reached base on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a play at home. Kaiser scored on a wild pitch to give the Cardinals a two run advantage.
Senior Kari Bowlby (Elkhart, Ind.) got the win making her 10-4 on the season with four strikeouts. Memmer came in and got the save pitching the bottom of the eighth inning with two strikeouts.
With the wins Saginaw Valley improves to 27-14 overall on the season, and 14-12 in the GLIAC, while Grand Valley falls to 22-24 overall on the season, and 10-16 in the GLIAC. The Cardinals will be back in action when they travel to Midland to play Northwood in the GLIAC Tournament. The game is scheduled for 10:00am.