UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team hosted rival Northwood University for a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday at the SVSU Softball Complex.
Emily Depew threw a no-hitter in game one, as the Cardinals rolled to a 7-0 win. Leading 5-1 in game two, SVSU saw Northwood rally to tie the score in the sixth. The teams traded runs in the bottom of the sixth and the top of the seventh, sending the contest to extras. Northwood got the game-winning run in the 11th to escape with an 8-7 win, splitting the series.
The split moves SVSU to 19-12 overall and 8-10 in the GLIAC.
Depew (5-1) carried a perfect game into the sixth inning before hitting a batter with one out and walking the next batter. She managed to work her way out of the frame and closed out the no-hitter with a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh.
The no-hitter is the first for Depew in her career and the first for SVSU since May 12, 2017, when Sam Willman closed out a five-inning no-hitter against Grand Valley State University. Depew pitched all seven innings, allowing just two runners to reach base and striking out eight Timberwolves.
Julia Salisbury got the scoring started for the Cardinals in the first with an RBI single. The game remained 1-0 until the sixth when SVSU scored six. Leah Denome got the inning going with an RBI single followed by an RBI single from Meagan VerVaecke. Sara Moos drove in two with an RBI double, while Sabrina Sage and Sarah Gersch each added an RBI.
Northwood got on the board first in game two with one in the first before Jackie Popko tied the score for the Cardinals with a home run in the bottom of the inning. SVSU went in front with a two-run homer from Salisbury in the fourth inning. Moos added an RBI and the Cardinals scored on a wild pitch later in the fourth to make it 5-1.
Northwood tied the score with two in the fifth and two in the sixth before Blasia Moyler put SVSU up 6-5 with a solo home run in the sixth. The game went to extras after the Timberwolves tied it with a run in the seventh.
The score remained 6-6 until the 10th when each half-inning started with a runner on second. The Timberwolves and Cardinals each scored in the 10th. Northwood went back in front, scoring on an SVSU error in the 11th.
Alyssa Muench (2-3) was charged with the loss, pitching five innings of relief, allowing two runs, both unearned, on three hits, while striking out three.
The Cardinals host Ferris State University on Senior Day at 2 pm Sunday at the SVSU Softball Complex.