KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team put together two complete outings on day six (Mar. 12) of their spring trip to the Rebel Spring Games being played in Kissimmee, Fla. Saginaw Valley recorded victories over #21 C.W. Post (1-0) and Northern State (11-3).

The Cardinals got on the board first against #21 C.W. Post after Marsha Beaubein (Alpena, Mich.) came around to score on Jessica Anhel’s (Oxford, Mich.) infield single, after being hit by a pitch earlier in the inning.

That one run would be all that Jade Fulton (Byron, Mich.) (3-2) would need on the afternoon. Fulton threw another solid game for the Cardinals, going seven complete innings, giving up two hits and striking out nine batters. It was her fifth game this season with at least seven strikeouts.

The Cardinals would again look to having something brewing when Stacy Kraatz (Howell, Mich./Hartland HS) led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to left center field, but that scoring threat would be ended when Kraatz was thrown out going to third on a fielder choice.

After a scoreless first inning, the Cardinals would not waste any of the opportunities that Northern State gave them in the top of the second inning, scoring six runs on eight hits. AshleyCoffin (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Stevenson HS) got the inning started when she reached base on an infield single back to pitcher. Jillian Peterson (Freeland, Mich.) would then drive her in with a single down the right field line. A single up the middle by Ashley Jordan (Freeland, Mich.) would bring Peterson across the plate, and Kraatz would then drive in Jordan and Angela Kaiser (Our Lady of the Lakes HS. Mary Orr (Linden, Mich.) would drive her second run of the year in with a sacrifice fly to center field to give the Cards a 6-0 advantage in the second.

Northern State would add a run in the third, but once again the relentless Cardinals would tack on multiple runs in the top of the fourth, while capitalizing on mistakes by Northern State. Sarah Sheffer (Watervliet, Mich. / Kalamazoo Valley C.C.) would get things going for SVSU with a pinch hit single to right center. Nicole Fick (Columbiaville, Mich./Lapper West) would then line a double to right center driving in both Sheffer and Peterson. Northern State would add two more runs in the bottom of the fourth cutting into the Cardinals advantage, 9-3.

Saginaw Valley would need two runs in the top of the sixth to end the game early, and would be able to get those runs after Coffin came home to score on a passed ball and Shannon McLaughlin (Watervliet, Mich. / Kalamazoo Valley C.C.) would score on a fielding error to give the Cardinals an 11-3 advantage. Megan Samassa (Holly, Mich./Flint Powers HS) would pitch her third inning of relief for the win in the bottom of the sixth. Samassa allowed one run on three hits, she also struck out four batters.

Saginaw Valley moves to 7-5 on the season and will continue play at the Rebel Spring Games on Friday against Concordia-St. Paul and Wheeling Jesuit.