INDIANAPOLIS – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team saw its season end after losses to Indianapolis and Lewis on Friday. The Cardinals fell 3-0 to the Greyhounds in the first game of the day, forcing them to return to action in the 4 PM game against Lewis who defeated and eliminated Missouri S&T in the middle contest of the day. SVSU battled the Pilots but fell short in a 4-3 defeat.
GAME 1 – INDY 3 – SVSU 0
Emily Depew (L, 21-8) got the start against UIndy and finished the game with six strikeouts in the losing effort.
The Greyhounds broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning with two runs off a hit and one SVSU error. The final run was scored in the sixth inning.
The Cardinal bats struggled to break through the Indy defense as the team finished with just two hits.
Mya Purdy and Maddie Campagna were the two SVSU hitters who recorded hits. Campagna hit a double with two outs in the seventh inning, but the Cardinals couldn't capitalize.
GAME 2 – LEWIS 4 – SVSU 3
Aalana Kimble (L, 8-8) started the game against the Pilots for SVSU. Depew returned in relief for 5.2 innings and halted the scoring of Lewis, but the rally fell just short.
Lewis took a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a two-out, two-run home run. The lead was short-lived as the Cardinals would tie the game in the bottom of the first after scoring on a fielder's choice and an error.
The Pilots took the final lead in the second after two runs came across the plate off a single up the middle with two outs already recorded.
Sara Moos cut the lead in half in the sixth inning with a leadoff home run to center field to put the score at 4-3. Purdy walked and moved into scoring position in the inning, but got no further on the base path.
Ella Reifschneider got on base in the bottom of the seventh with a single through the left side. Katelyn Pnacek walked on the next play, but the final two outs were recorded before the comeback could be completed.
Reifschneider went 2-for-4 and scored a run. Kimble, Moos, and Purdy recorded hits in the game with Purdy's being a double.
SEASON WRAP UP
The Cardinals had another historic season with a share of the GLAIC Regular Season Championship and the third-straight GLIAC Tournament Title. Depew was named GLIAC Pitcher of the Year and head coach Ryan Schalk was awarded the GLIAC Coach of the Year award. Depew and Campagna earned NFCA All-Region Second Team with eight total Cardinal earned All-GLIAC honors. SVSU finished the season with a 35-22 record, the third-straight 30-win season.
