EVANSVILLE, Ind. - The SVSU softball team finished its weekend with a pair of big victories at the Midwest Region Crossover at the Deaconess Sports Complex. The Cardinals avenged a season-opening loss to Truman by defeating the Bulldogs by a 10-5 count before taking down previously undefeated Southern Indiana by a 4-3 score in walk-off fashion. 

With the 2-0 Sunday showing, Saginaw Valley improves to 6-5 overall on the season and is now 6-4 in regional contests. 

Game One - Truman

SVSU had a big offensive output in the opener, notching a season-high 15 hits and scoring 10 runs. 

Playing as the designated visiting team in the neutral site game, the Cardinals scored two runs in the top of the 2nd and another three in the 3rd to take the 5-0 lead. Lauren Bachert ripped a two-RBI single that scored Becky Corbett and Evy Lobdell in the second. In the third, Courtney Reeves connected on a deep home run to left field, plating Meredith Rousse and Madison Burgess.

Truman answered with a single run in the bottom of the 3rd and two more in the 5th, cutting the SVSU lead to 5-3. 

Burgess had a bases-loaded infield RBI single to push Kennedi Thomas across for the 6-3 lead in the 6th. The team then added four more in the top fo seven, using a Julia Miller RBI double and a three-run home run from Lauren Bachert for the 10-3 edge.

The Bulldogs were able to get a couple in the home half of the 7th, but it wasn't enough as SVSU closed-out for the 10-5 win.

Inside the Boxscore

• Bachert went 2-for-4, including a run scored and five RBI.
• Burgess was 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored.
• Corbett registered three hits as well with a run.
• Lobdell added a pair of hits and scored twice.
• Danielle Hamilton added two hits, including a double.
• Reeves scored twice and had three RBI for SVSU.
• Annie Hansen (3-1) got the win in the circle. She tossed 4.0 innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking-out one batter.
• Anna Conard got her first save of the season, working the final 3.0 innings while allowing four runs and three hits. She struck-out three batters.

Game Two - Southern Indiana

After falling behind 2-0 to the 7-0 Screaming Eagles in the top of the 2nd inning, Saginaw Valley responded with a single run in the bottom half to cut the deficit to 2-1. The run came courtesy of a Corbett RBI single that scored Lobdell.

Corbett would deliver another blow in the home half of the fourth, blasting her first career home run while scoring Breanna Dinsmoore in the process for the 3-2 lead.

USI added a solo home run in the 5th inning to draw the score to a 3-3 tie.

The next action came in the bottom of the seventh, when the home team SVSU put things in motion once again offensively. Rousse laced a single up the middle to lead-off the inningand promptly moved to second on a wild pitch. Reeves followed next and hit one deep to left center but was robbed of a home run by the center fielder. As the defender carried the ball out of play over the fence, Rousse moved up to third base. A passed ball followed, with Rousse crossing the plate with the game-winning run and 4-3 final score.

Inside the Boxscore

• Corbett stayed hot at the plate, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. 
• Rousse added two hits and the game-winning run.
• Bachert added a base hit with her double and drew two walks in the victory. 
• Sam Willman (1-2) notched her first victory of the season. She worked the complete game, allowing two earned runs on six hits. She struck-out eight batters and walked just one.

Up Next...

The Cardinals continue the 2017 season on the road at the University of Illinois-Springfield this upcoming weekend. The teams will play a pair of doubleheaders, with a 2:00 p.m. start on Friday (Mar. 3) and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. 

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