CANTON, Ohio - The Saginaw Valley State University softball team defeated Malone in both games of Saturday's doubleheader to wrap-up its Ohio road trip. SVSU took game one 10-2 before claiming victory in game two by the score of 12-4.
Game One
After a scoreless first inning, both teams got on the board in the second. With Kari Knight and Abby Stoner on base, Marcy Medina doubled to left field to score the first run of the game. A deep Chelsea Adcock single to right scored both Stoner and Medina to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.
Malone responded with two runs of their own to cut the lead to one run at 3-2.
SVSU added three more runs in the third to make the score 6-2. Lindsay Hayward doubled to center field to score Mackenzie Rousse, who reached on a walk. With two outs and Hayward on base, Stoner roped a two-run homerun to end the inning's scoring.
The Cardinals added four more runs on three hits, two walks and a Pioneer error to close out the 10-2 win in five innings.
SV was led by Hayward and Stoner, who both registered two hits.
Alexa Gehrls and Sarah Vrabel combined for the win. Gehrls earned the victory, giving up no hits and striking out two batters in her three innings of work.
Game Two
Shelby Weeks led off the first inning with a walk, followed by her stealing second base. Rousse stepped up to bat and delieverd a double down the left field line to score Weeks. A Malone error allowed Rousse to score as well, giving SVSU a 2-0 lead.
With Adcock and Weeks on base, Amanda Best doubled to left field to score both base runners. Hayward came through with a single, scoring Best to increase the lead to 5-0.
Malone scored a run in the third on a wild pitch to put themselves on the board.
For the second time of the afternoon, Stoner homered to give the visitors a 6-1 advantage.
Malone had its best inning of the day in the fifth, scoring three runs on two hits and a Cardinal error.
SV added two runs in the fifth before plating four more in the sixth on four doubles and a single. The Cardinals closed out game two by the score of 12-4.
Best, Hayward, Knight and Stoner all drove in two runs to lead SVSU.
Sarah Appold earned her seventh win of the season, giving up three earned runs on three hits in her four inning outing. Gehrls registered her secong save of the year in the win as well.
SVSU improves to 22-6 overall and 14-3 in the GLIAC while Malone falls to 10-24-1 on the season and 2-18 in the conference.
The Cardinals are back in action Wednesday (Apr. 23) as they travel to Ferris State to take on the Bulldogs in their rescheduled matchup from earlier in the season. The lone game will pick up in the first inning of play at 5:00 pm.