CALEDONIA, MICH. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team began its three-date conference road trip with a split against Davenport on Wednesday afternoon. The Cardinals (21-14, 8-4 GLIAC) won game one 8-0 in five innings before falling to the Panthers (12-18, 4-4 GLIAC) 4-2 in game two.
GAME 1 – SVSU 8 – DAVENPORT 0 (5 Innings)
SVSU had things going early in game one with four runs in the opening frame. Ella Reifschneider singled through the right side to lead off the inning. A Panther error put Aalana Kimble on base on the next at-bat. Alyssa Muench cashed in Reifschneider with a single up the middle for the 1-0 lead. Sara Moos recorded an RBI on her groundout as Kimble crossed the plate to double up the advantage. Paige Kolinski scored both Muench and Campagna two plays later for the final two runs of the inning.
The Panthers threatened in the bottom half of the inning by getting three runners on base. However, the Cardinal defense, led by pitcher Emily Depew (W, 11-4) stranded all three and got out of the inning unscathed. The back-to-back GLIAC pitcher of the week completed her 11th game with nine strikeouts while allowing just four hits. The win marks the third complete-game shutout victory of the year for Depew.
Kimble added to the score in the second inning with a double to left center that brought Reifschneider home to extend things to 5-0.
Moos led off the third inning with a double to right center to get into scoring position. Olivia Sabin hit a single to left field to put Moos on third base. Sabin advanced to second and Moos scored on an attempted rundown and the score moved to 6-0 after three innings.
Sabin got in on the scoring in the fifth with her second home run of the season over the left-center field fence to score Kolinski and put the score at 8-0.
Davenport attempted to rally in the bottom half of the inning with two, two-out singles to put two runners on base. However, Depew struck out her third batter of the inning to seal the win.
Reifschneider, Kimble, and Sabin led the way with two hits in game one. Sabin and Kolinski tied for a game-high two RBI, while Kimble, Muench, and Moos recorded one. Reifschneider tallied two runs to contribute to the scoring effort. Kimble and Moos both hit a double.
GAME TWO – DAVENPORT 4 – SVSU 2
Kimble got the start for SVSU in game two. She went 2.0 innings and struck out two Panthers before Muench (L, 5-6) relieved her in the third inning. Muench allowed two hits and two runs during her time in the circle. Depew returned for the sixth inning and struck out one batter.
Davenport took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with a single up the middle. DU doubled the advantage in the second with another single.
Moos doubled to right center field and scored Kimble in the top of the fourth to cut the deficit to one run.
A double by Reifschneider scored Evelynn Rybicki and tied the game in the fifth inning but a two-run home run by the Panthers gave them the lead for the final time.
Mya Purdy, Sydney Herioux, Reifschneider, Kimble, and Moos recorded hits for the Cardinals in game two. Reifschneider and Moos contributed doubles and an RBI, while Herioux added a double to her stat line.
UP NEXT
The Cardinals will remain on the road for a rematch against Purdue Northwest in Hammond, Indiana this Saturday, April 13. The first pitch of game one is scheduled for noon.