CROWN POINT, IND. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team won its first GLIAC Tournament game with a 4-2 victory over Purdue Northwest on Friday afternoon (May 8). The Cardinals (35-14) scored two runs in the first and fourth innings to hold onto the win against the Pride (28-26).
PNW took the early lead with a run in the top half of the first inning. A triple to lead off the game to put a runner in scoring position. A single added a runner at the corners before a double steal attempt scored a run.
Aalana Kimble (Kentwood, Mich. / East Kentwood HS) got things going in the home half of the inning with a lead-off triple to center field. Ella Reifschneider (Hudsonville, Mich. / Hudsonville HS) hit an RBI-groundout to second base to score Kimble to tie the game.
Emma Helvie (Markle, Ind. / Huntington North HS) then singled to center before Olivia Elliott (Baroda, Mich. / Berrien Springs HS) doubled to left center to bring Helvie home for the 2-1 lead.
A wild pitch scored another run for the Pride in the third inning, and the score was tied, 2-2. It stayed there until the fourth inning when Elliott singled to right field and scored Jenna Morse (Bay City, Mich. / Bay City Central HS) to regain the lead, 3-2.
Kenzie Bromley (Petoskey, Mich. / Petoskey HS) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Emily Schmeltz (Union, Ky. / Cooper HS) and gave the Cardinals the insurance run.
SVSU's defense remained solid throughout the rest of the game, gaining the outs needed to seal the win and advance the team to the semifinals of the winner's bracket.
Kimble (W, 17-8) pitched all 7.0 innings to earn her 17th win of the year. She surrendered four hits and two earned runs with two strikeouts in her 17th complete game. Kimble also led at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a run scored. Elliott finished 2-for-3 with two RBI that included the game-winning run in the fourth inning. Helvie (1-for-3) and Kate Pnacek (Coleman, Mich. / Coleman HS) (1-for-3) recorded a hit in the game.
UP NEXT: The Cardinals move on to play Ferris State tomorrow (May 9th) at Noon, ET, in the semifinals of the winner's bracket.
