The Basics

Game #1: Saginaw Valley 3, Notre Dame 2
Game #2: Saginaw Valley 8, Notre Dame 3
Normandy Field - South Euclid, Ohio

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio - Completing the non-conference portion of the 2016 season, the SVSU softball team ran its winning streak to 13 games after sweeping the Notre Dame College Falcons by scores of 3-2 and 8-3, respectively. 

The 13 game win streak is the most since the program rattled-off 14 victories during the 2009-10 season. 

Game One

Saginaw Valley scored a pair of runs right off the bat in the top of the first inning, as Madison Burgess began the game with a double and she was later driven-in by Shelby Weeks with a home run over the center field fence to give the visitors a 2-0 advantage.

The Falcons evened the game at 2-2 in the bottom half of the first, using a two-run home run of their own for the runs.

The Cardinals added a single run in the top of the second to grab a 3-2 edge when Burgess had an RBI single up the middle that plated Jessica Wood, who walked to reach base and was advanced to second on a Kennedi Thomas infield single. 

Starting pitcher Sarah Vrabel settled in nicely from there, holding Notre Dame scoreless the rest of the way and Saginaw Valley closed out for the 3-2 victory.

Inside the Boxscore

• Burgess went 3-for-4 for the third straight game and added an RBI and run scored. She had a double in the contest.
• Weeks was 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, marking the third straight game with a long ball. 
• Aubree Mouthaan went 2-for-3 in the opening game as well. 
• Vrabel (4-1) tossed a complete game in the victory, scattering seven hits with two runs, walking three and posting six strikeouts in the effort.
• The Cardinals notched nine hits in the victory.

Game Two

SVSU fell behind by a 2-0 count after the first inning of play in the nightcap before scoring single runs in the second, third and fourth inning, respectively, to take the 3-2 lead. The Cardinals got an RBI groundout from Evy Lobdell to score Weeks in the second, a Meredith Rousse RBI hit in the third to plate Danielle Hamilton and a solo shot to right center from Mouthaan fir the run in the fourth inning.

Thomas and Becky Corbett scored in the top of the fifth inning on a Falcon error and that give the Cards a 5-2 lead in the contest.

Notre Dame would follow in the bottom of the inning, adding a run to make the score 5-3 after five complete innings.

Weeks would strike for Saginaw Valley once again, in the top of the seventh, belting a three-run home run that pushed Hamilton and Burgess across the plate. It was her fourth straight game with a home run and her seventh of the season. 

The Cardinals held their lead at 8-3 after that three-run shot, claiming the nightcap with the five-run victory. 

Inside the Boxscore

• SVSU had nine hits in the second victory, two each coming from Weeks and Burgess. Weeks had three RBIs on a home run and a pair of runs scored while Burgess had a double. Weeks's seven home runs tie her career-high, which she has not had the past three seasons. 
• Rousse and Mouthaan had a hit and an RBI while Lobdell had the other run knocked-in. Mouthaan's came courtesy of a solo home run. 
• Sarah Appold (4-2) worked all seven innings in the circle for SVSU, allowing five hits and three runs. She walked five batters and struck-out five. 

Up Next

Saginaw Valley continues Friday (Mar. 25) at Malone in a 3:00 p.m. doubleheader in Canton, Ohio before playing at Walsh Saturday in a 1:00 p.m. scheduled doubleheader. 

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