UNIVERSITY CENTER, MICH – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team split a non-conference doubleheader against rival Northwood on Thursday afternoon. The Cardinals (28-19) won game one in a 3-0 shutout before the Timberwolves (31-16) stopped a late rally to hold on for a 7-5 in game two.
GAME 1 – SVSU 3 – NORTHWOOD 0
Emily Depew (W, 16-6) pitched her 16th complete game of the season as she struck out 10 batters to improve her record to 16-6. It is the third time this season that Depew has registered double-digit strikeouts and the fourth shutout win for the Senior from Lowell, Michigan.
Ella Reifschneider had a day beginning in game one where she hit a single to lead off the bottom of the first inning on base. Aalana Kimble doubled to left center on the ensuing at-bat to bring Reifschneider home for the first run of the game.
Sydney Herioux smacked a solo shot over the left field fence to lead off the third inning and extend the lead to 2-0. Reifschneider then got on base for the second time with a base-hit bunt. Sara Moos singled to left field to load the bases and set up Olivia Sabin to hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Reifschneider again for what would be the game's final run.
Reifschneider singled through the right side in the fourth inning to finish game one 3-for-3 at the plate. Kimble finished 2-for-3 with an RBI. Moos, Sabin, Maddie Campagna, Alyssa Muench, and Herioux recorded hits. Herioux tallied a run and an RBI in game one.
GAME 2 – NORTHWOOD 7 – SVSU 5
Aalana Kimble (L, 6-7) got the start in the circle for the Cardinals in game two. She went 4.0 innings with two strikeouts before Muench took over in relief. Muench finished the final three innings of play with four strikeouts and held the Timberwolves scoreless during her time pitching.
Northwood took an early 2-0 lead with an RBI groundout and a single to first base.
A fielder's choice scored Reifschneider after she got on base with a leadoff single to left field to cut the lead to 2-1 after the first frame.
A string of hits and an SVSU error allowed four runs in the third inning as the Timberwolves took a 6-1 lead after three. Northwood added another run in the top half of the fourth to increase the gap to 7-1.
Herioux hit a second home run on the day in the bottom of the fourth, this one over the left-field fence again, however, it scored Paige Thomson also to trim the deficit to 7-3.
The score remained the same until the bottom of the seventh inning. Reifschneider had her perfect day blemished when an error gave her first base to lead off the final frame. Kimble and Moos singled on the next two plays to load the bases with no outs. Campagna then hit a two-RBI single through the left side to bring SVSU within two runs of knotting things up, but Northwood switched pitchers and halted the rally to secure the win.
Reifschneider went 3-for-4 with two runs in game two to finish her afternoon 6-for-7 with four runs. Kimble went 3-for-4 and scored a run in the losing effort. Ella Schneider got a hit in both of her at-bats. Moos, Campagna, and Herioux registered a hit in the finale.
UP NEXT
The Cardinals will host Ferris State on Saturday, April 27 in the final home doubleheader of the season. Game one is scheduled to begin at noon, EST.
