UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - The Saginaw Valley State University softball team (40-16) secured a spot in the NCAA Division II Softball Championships with a 2-0 Midwest Super Regional victory over the Grand Valley State University Lakers (41-16).  

It marks the Cardinals' first trip to the Championships since 1992, which will be held in Salem, Virginia.

The game remained scoreless through four full innings.  SVSU got on the board in the top of the fifth inning to take a 1-0 lead after Kaitlyn Kenyon (Tecumseh, Mich.) had a sacrifice fly to score Jessica McKeith (River Rouge, Mich.).

The Cardinals would add another run in the top of the seventh after McKeith drilled a home run to center field, making the count 2-0.

Jade Fulton (Byron, Mich.), who improved to 29-9 overall on the season, set the Lakers down in order in the seventh to seal the victory and trip to Virginia.  She scattered six hits on the afternoon, walking only one batter and striking-out seven.  She is now 5-0 in the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

McKeith, Natalie Wellman (Fairhaven, Mich./Anchor Bay HS) and Ashley Coffin (Sterling Heights, Mich./Stevenson HS) all had two hits for the Cardinals, with McKeith and Kenyon accounting for both RBIs.

The Cardinals are back in action at the NCAA Division II Championships in Salem, Virginia on Thursday.  They will play Minnesota State-Mankato (53-14) in a 2:30 p.m. contest.  The two teams met in Florida earlier this season, with Mankato winning the contest by a score of 5-1 on March 6.