FINDLAY, Ohio - The Saginaw Valley State University softball team picked up a pair of Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) wins against the University of Findlay in Ohio Tuesday (Apr. 1) afternoon. The Cardinals claimed an 11-9 victory in game one before beating the Oilers 6-4 in game two.
The games were originally scheduled to be played at home, but poor field conditions forced the Oilers to host the twinbill.
Game One
SVSU jumped out to an early 8-3 lead after the first inning. Mackenzie Rousse led-off the scoring by plating Shelby Weeks on a double to left field. A Lindsay Hayward single advanced Rousse to third base before she scored on an error. With two runners on base, freshman Abby Stoner homered to left field. Chelsea Adcock doubled to left, bringing up Deanna Stickler-Gatson who reached on another Oiler error that scored Adcock. Shelby Weeks did not disappoint in her second plate appearance of the inning, as the sophomore shortstop ripped a ball over the fence in center field to give SV an 8-0 lead.
The Oilers responded with three runs off of a Lauren Trumpler double with the bases loaded.
Findlay added another run in the bottom of the second inning, cutting the lead to 8-4.
An Amanda Best double scored Rousse and Hayward in the top of the fourth. Kari Knight singled to left field, scoring Best from second base.
Findlay added another run in the bottom of the innings, making the score 11-5 after four innings of play.
The Oilers lead-off hitter in the top of the sixth homered off of Alexa Gehrls, cutting the lead to 11-6. A walk and two singles later, the bases were loaded for Emily Stewart who drove in a run for the home team. Trumpler caused more problems for the Cards when her single drove in two more runs. The Oiler rally would fall short, however, as SVSU would take the game by the score of 11-9.
Rousse led the Cardinals with four hits and two runs scored.
Sarah Appold earned the win, improving her record to 5-0. Gehrls relieved her in the third inning, giving up just seven hits in her five innings of work.
Game Two
Rousse continued the big bat in the second game. The junior center fielder roped a ball over the fence in left field, scoring herself and Shelby Weeks who reached on a single. Stoner scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the second inning giving the Cardinals a 3-0 lead after two innings.
Weeks tripled to right center to start off the third inning. With Rousse up to bat, the Oiler pitcher tossed a wild pitch that scored Weeks.
The 4-0 lead would hold until the sixth inning. Emily Reynolds doubled to left field with the bases loaded, scoring two Oilers. A wild pitch scored another runner, cutting the advantage to 4-3.
SV responded in the bottom of the inning with another home run. This time the blast came from Nicole Romain who was called off the bench to pinch hit in the clutch situation. The junior delivered, plating Amanda Kimes and herself, giving the Cards a three-run lead.
Findlay added another run in the bottom of the seventh but the game would end in the Cardinals' favor, 6-4.
Weeks led SVSU with two hits while Rousse and Romain's home runs gave them each two RBIs.
Sarah Vrabel recorded her fifth win of the season, surrendering four runs on seven hits in six innings of work. Appold came in to face the Oilers in the top of the seventh, giving up just one hit to register her first save of the season.
Saginaw Valley improves to 14-3 on the season and 6-0 in the GLIAC. The Cardinals return home for a doubleheader against Ohio Dominican on Saturday (Apr. 5). The first game will start at 1:00 pm.