ALLENDALE, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team swept Grand Valley State with wins of 4-2 and 6-2 on Sunday afternoon. The Cardinals (26-8, 13-1 GLIAC) continue their dominant play as they extend their winning streak to 10 with the wins over the Lakers (16-20, 7-7 GLIAC). SVSU now sits at 13-1 in conference play after a fifth-straight sweep of a GLIAC opponent.
GAME 1: SVSU 4 – GVSU 2
The Cardinals scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth and held on to secure the win in game one of the doubleheader. Five SVSU hitters recorded a hit, with Olivia Elliott and Kenzie Bromley leading the way with two RBI. Elliott hit a home run, while Bromley hit a double. Macy Irelan (W, 12-3) struck out five Lakers in her 7.0 innings of work to complete her 13th game of the season.
A home run to left field in the top of the third inning gave GVSU a 1-0 lead after two scoreless innings started things off.
Bromley doubled down the left-field line to score both Jenna Morse and Kimble to take a 2-1 lead. Elliott hit a home run to center field on the next play to clear the bases and push the margin to 4-1 with just two innings remaining.
The Cardinals threatened in the sixth with runners in scoring position but left one stranded without putting a run on the board. An RBI single up the middle gave GVSU a run, but SVSU recorded the needed third out to secure the 4-2 win.
GAME 2: SVSU 6 – GVSU 2
Elliott added three more hits in game two as SVSU swept the Lakers. Ella Reifschneider and Ella Schneider added two hits and an RBI to contribute to the win. Schneider also scored twice as a baserunner, while Reifschneider added one run as well. Aalana Kimble (W, 10-3) retired eight GVSU hitters on strikes after six innings of work in game two. Irelan pitched the final inning in relief to help secure the second win for the Cardinals.
Kimble hit a sacrifice fly to left field to break the scoreless deadlock in the third inning. Elliott then singles up the middle to move Bromley to third and score Kate Pnacek for a 2-0 lead after three innings.
Schneider singled up the middle to score Helvie and triple the lead. Reifschneider scored on a wild pitch to move the lead to 4-0 before Kimble hit a second sacrifice fly to score Schneider for the five-run lead going into the fifth inning.
An RBI single by the Lakers put a run on the board to prevent the shutout. Reifschneider singled up the middle with two outs in the bottom half of the fifth to put the deficit back to five with a 6-1 lead.
Grand Valley added one more run in the top of the seventh, but the Cardinals cut the rally short on a line out to secure the victory.
UP NEXT: SVSU returns home to host rival Northwood in a home doubleheader on Tuesday, April 8. The first game begins at 3:00 p.m. (ET).