ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team continued play at The Dome with a pair of games Friday in Rosemont, Ill.

For the second straight day, the Cardinals settled for a split after winning the first game. SVSU topped Truman State University 7-5 in the opener before falling to Winona State University 4-3 in the second game of the day. The split moves SVSU to 2-2 to start the season.

Game One Breakdown:

• SVSU took the early lead with a suicide squeeze with Sara Moos driving in Jackie Popko in the first.
• The Bulldogs tied the game with a run in the bottom of the first and scored three in the second to build a 4-1 advantage.
• Sarah Gersch stole home on a double steal to get the Cardinals going in the third. Julia Salisbury, Blasia Moyler, and Meagan VerVaecke each added an RBI later in the inning to put the Cardinals on top 5-4
• TSU answered once again with a run in the sixth to tie the game.
• SVSU went ahead for good in the seventh with RBIs from VerVaecke and Leah Denome.
• Alyssa Muench (1-0) got the win on the mound in relief. She pitched the final 4.1 innings, allowing one run on three hits, walking one, and striking out seven.
• Popko, Muench, Salisbury, and Moyler each finished with two hits.

Game Two Breakdown:

• Muench got the Cardinals started early with an RBI double in the first and came home on an RBI single from Salisbury to give SVSU a 2-0 lead.
• WSU got one back on a Cardinal error in the second, but VerVaecke responded for SVSU with an RBI double in the fourth.
• After WSU scored on a passed ball in the fourth, another Cardinal error allowed two runs to score for the Warriors in the fifth to give WSU the win.
• Emily Depew (1-1) took the loss on the mound, pitching six innings, allowing four unearned runs, walking two, and striking out five.
• Salisbury finished with three hits to lead the Cardinal offense.

Up Next:

The Cardinals conclude play at The Dome with two more on Saturday starting against McKendree University at 3:30 PM CST in Rosemont, Ill.