LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Continuing on with an early season regional schedule, the SVSU softball team improved to 11-6 overall and 11-5 in regional action after a sweep at Bellarmine University on Monday (Mar. 6) afternoon. The Cardinals defeated the Knights by scores of 5-1 and 7-3, respectively.

Game One

Saginaw Valley struck first in the opening game, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning. Aubree Mouthaan ripped an RBI double that scored Meredith Rousse for the first run. 

Neither side pushed a run across for the next four innings, with the next scoring coming in the top of the 6th with the Cardinals added four runs to make the score 5-0. Mouthaan added another RBI double that scored Madison Burgess. That was followed by a Courtney Reeves RBI single that pushed across Rousse. Breanna Dinsmoore later picked-up an RBI on a bases loaded walk that scored Mouthaan. Lauren Bachert would knock-in the final fun for the visitors, scoring Eby Lobdell on a sacrifice fly.

The Knights scored their lone run in the bottom half of the 7th, putting the final score at 5-1 in SV's favor.

Inside the Boxscore

• Mouthaan was 2-4 with a pair of doubles, run scored and pair of RBI.
• Reeves was 1-3 with an RBI.
• Bachert and Dinsmoore had an RBI each as well. 
• The Cardinals had six hits while limiting the Knights to three.
• Samantha Willman (4-3) had another solid outing in picking-up the victory in the circle. She worked the complete game, allowing a single unearned run on three hits. She struck-out seven batters and walked four.

Game Two

The Cardinals got on the board first in the second contest as well, notching a pair of runs in the top of the 1st and the top of the 3rd for a 4-0 edge. Mouthaan scored Danielle Hamilton in the first on a sac fly while Lobdell had an RBI single to plate Rousse. In the 3rd, Reeves hit a two-run shot over the left center field fence to make the lead 4-0.

Bellarmine responded by putting up three runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning, trimming the deficit to 4-3.

The visiting Cardinals came right back with a three-spot of their own, however, making the count 7-3 in the top of the 4th. Burgess had an RBI single to score Bachert for the first run of the half. Rousse then ripped an RBI double, allowing Burgess to score. The final run of the game came when Lobdell posted an RBI single to score Rousse. That was all for the scoring, with SV sealing the four-run victory.

Inside the Boxscore

• Reeves belted her GLIAC-leading fifth home run in the second game. She had two RBI and scored a run. 
• Lobdell was 3-4 with a double, run scored and two RBI.
• Burgess and Rousse each had a hit and an RBI, with Rousse adding a pair of stolen bases. 
• Annie Hansen (4-1) picked-up the victory in the nightcap for SVSU. She got the start and worked the first 4.0 innings, allowing three runs (1 earned) on two hits, striking-out three and walking three. 
• Emily Osteen (2.0 IP) and Hannah Atwell (1.0 IP) combined to work three scorless innings to finish the game. 
• The Cardinals out-hit the Knights, 9-4.

Up Next...

The Cardinals are off until Thursday, March 16, when SVSU travels to play Notre Dame College (Ohio). The non-conference doubleheader is slated for a 3:00 p.m. start in South Euclid, Ohio.

@SVSU_Softball | #svsusb | @SVSUAthletics | #GoSVSU