Release courtesy of Matthew Woodbury and the Saginaw Valley State University Media Relations Department
Bigelow's Solo Shot Gives Saginaw a Regional Championship
UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - Saginaw Valley State
took on the Bulldogs of Ferris State this afternoon in the
championship round of the NCAA Division II Softball Midwest
Regional #2 Tournament, with the winner going on to face
Indianapolis, who had defeated Wayne State University earlier in
the day in Midwest Regional #1. Jade Fulton (Byron, Mich.) got the
start for the Cardinals, twirling a two-hit three-strikeout shutout
to send SVSU to the NCAA Division II Softball Super Regional on
Friday and Saturday.
The first threat of the game came when Ferris State put runners on
first and second with one out in the top of the fifth inning
following a Nicole Fick (Lapeer, Mich./West HS) error allowing the
runner to reach first base, a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to
second base, and a walk. However, Fulton would buckle down and
force a pop-up to the third baseman and a flyout to center field to
end the Bulldog threat.
In what looked like a replay in Saturday's game against Northern
Kentucky, the Cardinals were no-hit through five innings, before
Nikki Bigelow (Grandville, Mich.) took hold of a 1-1 count pitch
and drove it off the State Farm sign on the scoreboard in
left-center field to give Saginaw Valley their first hit and first
run of the game.
A pop-up to second base and a groundout to second base set the
stage for Fulton's game-ending and Midwest Regional #2-ending
strikeout of pinch-hitter Shannon Roney to send the Cardinals to
the Midwest Super Regional against Indianapolis.
Both teams recorded only two hits on the day, with Ferris State's
hits coming from Rachel Wade and Lynsay Weaver, while Saginaw
Valley's hits came from Bigelow and pinch-hitter Jordan Stuart
(Richmond, Mich.).
Ferris State's Kayle Stevenson turned in a final line of 6.0
innings pitched, two hits allowed, and one earned run, as she took
her first loss of the season, ending the year with a record of
12-1, and ending Ferris State's season with a 35-10 overall
record.
Fulton's victory moved her to 18-5 on the season.
As Saginaw Valley was the highest seed remaining in the region, the
Cardinals will be awaiting word on hosting the Midwest Super
Regional on Friday and Saturday here on the campus of SVSU. The
decision will be known sometime Monday evening.