CALEDONIA, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team swept Davenport in a GLIAC doubleheader on the road on Saturday. The Cardinals (12-8, 2-0 GLIAC) took game one 12-2 in five innings before defeating the Panthers (6-20, 2-2 GLIAC) 5-3 in eight innings in game two.
GAME 1: SVSU 12 – Davenport 2 (5 Innings)
The Cardinals struck early with a six-run opening inning to grab the lead. Aalana Kimble (Kentwood, Mich. / East Kentwood HS) got on base in the leadoff spot with a walk. Faith Maloney (Macomb, Mich. / Dakota HS) then singled up the middle to put two runners on with no outs. A passed ball moved Kimble to third to put runners in the corners. Emma Helvie (Markle, Ind. / Huntington North HS) scored Kimble a sacrifice fly to left field, and SVSU held a 1-0 advantage with one out.
Jenna Morse (Bay City, Mich. / Bay City Central HS) pinch ran for Maloney before Olivia Elliott (Baroda, Mich. / Berrien Springs HS) hit the first of her two home runs in the game to clear the bases and build the lead to 3-0.
Mya Purdy (Chelsea, Mich. / Chelsea HS) and Kenzie Bromley (Petoskey, Mich. / Petoskey HS) each walked to put two more runners on base. Ella Schneider (Southfield, Mich. / Berkley HS) singled to left center to score Purdy, and the lead was 4-0 with just one out in the first inning.
A throwing error by DU gave Ella Reifschneider (Hudsonville, Mich. / Hudsonville HS) first base and scored Bromly and Schneider to give the Cardinals the 6-0 lead after one frame.
Schneider hit a single up the middle to score Emily Beckas (Troy, Mich. / Avondale HS) in the second inning and extend the lead to seven runs. Two more were scored during the next at-bat when Reifschneider singled to right field to bring Evelynn Rybicki (Freeland, Mich. / Freeland HS) and Kate Pnacek (Coleman, Mich. / Coleman HS) across the plate and put the score at 9-0, SVSU.
Elliott hit he second home run in the fifth, a two-run blast that scored her and Morse and put the Cardinals ahead 11-0. Rybicki ended the scoring for SVSU with a triple to right field to bring Purdy home, and the score sat at 12-0 going into the home half of the fifth inning.
A throwing error by SVSU gave the Panthers two runs, but the Cardinals were able to collect the final two runs to end the game early with a 12-2 win.
Elliott had the big bat for game one as both of her hits (2-for-2) were home runs that totaled four RBI. Schneider finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run to contribute to the win. Maloney, Morse, Purdy, Bromley, Rybicki, and Reifschneider finished with a hit.
Kimble (W, 6-3) got the start in game one for the Cardinals. She surrendered five hits and no earned runs while striking out six DU hitters. Grace Schloop (Midland, Mich. / Midland HS) pitched the final inning of play. She struck out one and surrendered no hits with one earned run.
GAME 2: SVSU 5 – Davenport 3 (8 Innings)
SVSU led off game two with back-to-back doubles that scored Kimble for a quick 1-0 lead after the top half of the first inning.
The Panthers responded with a double to left field that scored a run and tied the game. Another double two batters later scored another, and DU took a 2-1 lead with no outs. A wild pitch brought in a third run, and Davenport led 3-1 following the first frame.
Kimble hit a single to left field, Pnacek walked, and Helvie hit a single to right center to load the bases in the third inning. Elliott then stepped to the plate and hit a two-RBI single to right field that brought Pnacek and Kimble across the plate and knotted the score at three runs.
The Cardinals threatened to break the tie in the seventh inning with Helvie advancing to second base on a wild pitch. Elliott then walked to put two on with no outs. Bromley then hit a double to right field, but Helvie was thrown out at home trying to score, keeping things tied up going into the home half of the final inning.
A double to right field put a Panther in scoring position with two outs, but SVSU recorded the final putout to push the game into extra innings.
Reifschneider got things going with a single through the left side to lead off the eighth. Morse reached on a fielder's choice, but a throwing error prevented the out for DU. A double steal put Morse on second and Reifschneider on third before a wild pitch advanced them another, putting a run on the board for the Cardinals, giving them a lead of 4-3.
Natalie Savage (Howell, Mich. / Howell HS) brought Morse home with a double to left field to put the score at 5-3, where it would remain through the inning and seal the win for SVSU.
Kimble was the offensive leader in the nightcap, with three hits (3-for-4) and two runs. Bromley and Reifschneider finished with two hits each. Reifschneider scored a run as well. Purdy hit a triple, while Maloney, Savage, Helvie, and Elliott recorded a hit.
Macy Irelan (W, 5-4) pitched the full eight innings to earn her fifth win of the season. She gave up four hits and three runs while striking out 13 Davenport hitters, a season-high for her. It is Irelan's second game this season with double-digit strikeouts.
UP NEXT: The Cardinals will remain on the road to face Ferris State on Tuesday, March 24, at 1:00 p.m. (ET).