FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team dropped its first two games of the Spring Break trip to Florida with losses against 25th-ranked Nova Southeastern on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals (11-5) fell 1-0 in game one before closing the afternoon with a 6-2 loss against the Sharks (20-7).
GAME 1: NSU 1 – SVSU 0
SVSU threatened four times getting runners into scoring position, but couldn't reach the plate for any runs against a stout NSU defense.
Jenna Morse singled to lead things off before stealing second base. She advanced to third on a ground out but a strikeout left Morse on base and preserved the tie.
Morse hit a two-out single and stole second in the top of the third to move to scoring position for the second time in the game, but a foul out to the short stop left Morse and Kate Pnacek on base.
Ella Schneider doubled to lead off the fifth inning and Emily Schmeltz pinch ran and moved to third, but couldn't get any further before the final out of the inning.
A double and a walk put a runner on third for Nova Southeastern before a ground out allowed a runner to score for the 1-0 lead.
Aalana Kimble singled to center field and advanced to second in the seventh inning, but the Sharks sealed the one-run win with a strikeout for the game's final out.
Morse led the way for SVSU with a hit in all three of her at-bats in game one. Kimble and Schneider each recorded a hit in the game. Delaney Conley (L, 2-1) got the started and went 4.2 innings with two strikeouts. Olivia Elliott pitched 1.1 innings to close out the game in the circle for the Cardinals.
GAME 2: NSU 6 – SVSU 2
The Sharks took a 3-0 lead in the third with a two-RBI double and a single in the bottom half of the third.
NSU extended the lead to 5-0 in the fourth inning by loading the bases and crossing two runners on fielder's choice plays.
Kimble singled to left field to get on base in the fifth inning but was caught stealing on the next play. Ella Reifschneider walked, and Kenzie Bromley hit a deep single to right field, allowing Reifschneider to score to cut the lead to 5-1.
Schneider doubled with two outs to score Evelynn Rybicki to come within three runs of NSU.
A triple to center field put the last run on the scoreboard for Nova Southeastern in the bottom half of the sixth inning.
The Cardinals threatened in the seventh inning, moving runners to second but couldn't capitalize on the opportunity.
Schneider, Kimble, and Bromley each recorded a hit. Schneider and Bromley recorded an RBI. Reifschneider and Rybicki tallied runs.
UP NEXT: The Cardinals will head to Ohio for a doubleheader against Tiffin on Sunday, March 16. Game one is set for a 2:00 p.m. (ET) first pitch.