MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team earned two wins over ranked opponents in Miami Shores, Florida, on Saturday. The Cardinals (3-1) started the day with a 7-0 win over No. 23 Barry. SVSU ended the afternoon with a low scoring win over 15th-ranked East Stroudsburg, 1-0.
Game 1: SVSU 7 – Barry 0
The Cardinals broke the three-inning deadlock with a run in the top half of the fourth when Emily Schmeltz (Union, Ky. / Cooper HS) stole home plate to put the score at 1-0.
The lead extended in the sixth when Mya Purdy (Chelsea, Mich. Chelsea HS) got on base with a single down the right field line and Lillia Sherman (Millington, Mich.) singled to short to move Purdy to scoring position, setting up Emma Helvie (Markle, Ind. Huntington North HS) for a single down the right field line to score Purdy and double the advantage.
Jenna Morse (Bay City, Mich.) was walked during the next at-bat to load the bases and Ella Schneider (Southfield, Mich. / Berkley HS) singled through the left side to score Evelynn Rybicki (Freeland, Mich. / Freeland HS) and put the score at 3-0. Kate Pnacek (Coleman, Mich. / Coleman HS) hit an infield single that scored Helvie, Natalie Savage (Howell, Mich. / Howell HS) hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Morse, and Olivia Elliott (Baroda, Mich.) collected an RBI with a fielder's choice that scored Schneider for a five run inning and a 6-0 lead.
The final run came in the final frame when Morse hit a single to center field to score Purdy and secure the shutout win for SVSU.
Helvie (3-for-4) had the hot bat for the Cardinals as she recorded three hits, scored a run, and registered an RBI. Pnacek (2-for-4) tallied two hits and an RBI, while Purdy (1-for-3), Sherman (1-for-3), Morse (1-for-2), Schneider (1-for-3), and Savage (1-for-1) recorded a hit. Purdy scored twice to lead the team in that category.
Macy Irelan (W, 1-1) collected her first win of the season pitching the full 7.0 innings while allowing just three hits and striking out 10 batters. It is the first double-digit K game for her this season and the 11th for her as a Cardinal.
Game 2: SVSU 1 – ESU 0
Saginaw Valley State survived a defensive battle against No. 16 East Stroudsburg with a 1-0 win in the Cardinals second game against a ranked opponent of the day.
The deadlock was broken in the fourth inning when Helvie got on base with a double to right center field. She was replaced by pinch runner, Emily Beckas (Troy, Mich. / Avondale HS), who scored on a single to center field by Morse on the very next at-bat.
The SVSU defense remained stout through the next two innings going three-up-three down in the bottom half. The Warriors only threatened in the seventh inning as they got a runner to second after a single and a hit by pitch, but a strike out and a ground out ended the threat and preserved the 1-0 win for the Cardinals.
Helvie (1-for-3), Morse (1-for-2, RBI), and Schneider (1-for-3) recorded a hit in the game.
Kimble (W, 2-0) earned her second win in as many complete game performances after going the distance. She allowed just two hits and struck out three ESU batters on her way to the win.
UP NEXT: The Cardinals will remain in Miami Shores for two more games on Sunday, February 8. The first will be against Bentley at 11:30 a.m. (ET), with the second game against host No. 23 Barry at 2:00 p.m. (ET).