ALLENDALE, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team used seven walks and sacrifice fly-balls to manufacture runs in an 8-0 win over Ohio Dominican on the first day of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional on Thursday afternoon. The Cardinals (36-14) will now move on to the next round of the winner's bracket on day two.
Alexis Gills recorded two hits and had a team-high two RBI to help SVSU win the game. Sarah Gersch and Sara Moos had two hits in the game. Gersch scored twice and brought the final run home to stop the game in the fifth. Moos tallied an RBI with her hits.
Emily Depew (W, 18-6) struck out six Panther hitters in her 21st complete game of the season, the third no-hitter for the junior ace's career. Depew's win moved her up the career record charts in multiple categories including sixth in appearances (87), tied for fourth in wins (50), and sixth in complete games (49).
Sydney Herioux put the Cardinals on the board after a scoreless first inning with a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Marissa Beck for the 1-0 lead.
Moos added another run with a single to right field to bring Gersch across the plate to extend the lead to 2-0.
Back-to-back singles in the first two batters of the bottom of the fourth inning to put runners on the bases. Katelyn Pnacek walked to load the bases before a throwing error to home scored a third run. Gills then doubled to right center to bring Pnacek and Jackie Popko home to extend the lead to 5-0. Kolinski then grounded out but scored Gersch for the fourth run of the inning and a 6-0 margin.
Popko walked to load the bases for a second time. Pnacek then walked on the ensuing batter to score another run for SVSU. Gersch then hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Herioux to complete the final run and end the game with an 8-0 score.
UP NEXT
The Cardinals move through the winner's bracket and will face host Grand Valley State tomorrow morning (Friday, May 12) for an 11:00 a.m., EST, first pitch. Saginaw Valley State will bat second as the home team as they won the coin toss per NCAA Tournament rules.