TIFFIN, Ohio - The Saginaw Valley State University softball team hit the road on Friday (Apr. 24) afternoon for a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) doubleheader against the Tiffin University Dragons. The Cardinals posted a 2-1 victory in the opener before falling in extra-innings in the nightcap by a 6-1 count.
Game One
Playing as the visitors in the first game, the Cards led the contest off with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning to grab a 2-0 lead. Shelby Weeks was hit by a pitch to reach base, stole second and moved to third base on a throwing error by the catcher. She then scored as Mackenzie Rousse reached on an error by the third baseman for the first run. After Rousse promptly stole second base and moved to third on a groundout, she was pushed across the plate on an RBI single by Marcy Medina to left field.
The Dragons cut the lead to 2-1 with a home run in the bottom of the second inning.
The score would stand there for the remainder of the game, as both teams managed three hits for the opening contest.
Sarah Appold (9-7) got the win in the circle for the visitors, as she worked all 7.0 innings while allowing just three hits, a single run and striking-out four batters.
Medina, Amanda Best and DeAnna Stickler-Gatson had the three hits, with Medina having the only RBI for the Cardinals.
Game Two
SVSU opened the scoring in the second game as well, plating a run in the bottom of the second inning on a Nicole Romain RBI double that scored Meredith Rousse, who had a single to center field.
Tiffin responded with a single run in the top of the fourth inning to knot the ball game at 1-1.
The Cardinals had runners in scoring position in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings but couldn't get any additional runs across the plate. The score would stay at the same 1-1 score and head into the eighth inning.
The Dragons got five runs on four hits, including a grand slam in the top of the eighth inning, to take a 6-1 lead.
SVSU couldn't get enough to tie the game from there and Tiffin closed the game with the 6-1 game two victory.
The Cards had six hits in the nightcap, with Amanda Kimes going 2-for-3 in the contest. Romain had the RBI double and Medina added a double for the Cardinals.
Sarah Vrabel (9-5) took the loss in the second game, as she worked 7.2 innings and allowed six runs on seven hits, striking-out two batters.
The Cardinals are now 25-16 on the season with the split with a 15-5 record in the GLIAC. The Dragons are 23-19 overall and 13-10 in league play.
Saginaw Valley continues the road trip on Saturday (Apr. 25), as the ladies play at Ohio Dominican University in another GLIAC doubleheader. First pitch is set for 10:00 a.m. at the Panther Softball Field in Columbus, Ohio.