DETROIT Mich. - The Saginaw Valley State University softball team defeated Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) rival Wayne State University in two games this afternoon, 13-3 and 4-3.  The Cardinals improve to 17-8 overall on the season, and 4-2 in the GLIAC, while Wayne State falls to 12-12 overall on the season, and 2-2 in the GLIAC.

The Cardinals came out swinging in game one, scoring in all five innings of play against the Warriors. Saginaw Valley scored their first two runs of the contest in the top of the first inning when freshman Marcy Medina (Valpairaso, Ind.) knocked a homerun over the left field fence bringing in junior Natalie Wellman (Fairhaven, Mich. / Anchor Bay HS). The Cardinals would add two more runs in the top of the second inning when junior Ashley Coffin (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Stevenson HS) singled through the right side to score Monica Gathright (Baroda, Mich. / KVCC). Medina picked up her third RBI of the game when she singled to the shortstop, allowing sophomore Kailah Happ (Waterford, Mich. / Kettering HS) to cross the plate.

The Cardinals would extend their lead to 8-0 in the third inning over Wayne State when they scored four runs on five hits. Jessica McKeith (River Rouge, Mich.) would score the first run of the inning on a Happ single to left center. Senior Jillian Peterson (Freeland, Mich.) would lace a single through the left side that would score both Ashley Jordan (Freeland, Mich.) and Happ. Saginaw Valley would tack on three more runs in the top of the fourth inning. McKeith gave the Cardinals a 9-0 lead when she scored via a wild pitch. Later in the inning Wellman picked up her second hit of the game on a single to right field that plated Gathright. Peterson singled up the middle to drive in freshman Lindsay Hayward (Ancaster, Ont.) for an 11-0 advantage over the Warriors. 

Saginaw Valley scored their final two runs of the contest in the top of the fifth inning when redshirt freshman Jenna Holmes (Jenison, Mich.) hit a two-run homer over the center field fence that scored McKeith. Wayne State tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the fifth scoring three runs on three hits, but it was not enough as the Cardinals went on to a 13-3 victory.

Senior Jade Fulton (Byron, Mich.) picked up the win for Saginaw Valley pitching four innings with five strikeouts, allowing one hit, while senior Amanda Astor pitched the final inning.

In game two, the Cardinals got on the board in the bottom of the second inning when Coffin reached on a fielding error, allowing Jordan to cross the plate. Wayne State would knot the score in the top of the third inning when they scored a run. Saginaw Valley would take a 3-1 lead over the Warriors when Medina dug in and hit her second homer of the afternoon, this time over the center field fence scoring Peterson.

Wayne State battled back coming within one run of the Cardinals in the fourth inning. The Cardinals would extend their lead to two runs in the fifth inning when they had back-to-back doubles by McKeith and Gathright. The Warriors scored one more run in the top of the seventh to make the final score 4-3.

Sophomore Alexa Gehrls (Caledonia, Mich.) got the start in the circle for Saginaw Valley pitching 3.2 innings, while Fulton came in and picked up the win pitching 3.1 innings and striking out five.

The Cardinals will be back in action on Saturday (Apr. 2) when they travel to Hillsdale College. The double header is scheduled for 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm.