UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. -- The Saginaw Valley State University softball team finished the 2021 season with a 29-17 overall record and 17-13 mark in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. SVSU will look to improve on that in 2022.
The Cardinals season begins on February 24 when they will play in the Rosemont Dome Tournament in Rosemont, Ill. Feb. 24-27. SVSU then makes the trip to Florida for The Spring Games on Mar. 6-12. Following that, SVSU will play eight games in four days against schools in Ohio, including Tiffin University, Ohio Dominican University, the University of Findlay, and Cedarville University. That stretch of games will begin on Mar. 18.
The home portion and GLIAC schedule begins on Saturday, Mar. 26 when the Cardinals host Ferris State University in a doubleheader from the SVSU Softball Complex. The first road conference games will be on Apr. 2 when they travel to Wisconsin-Parkside. SVSU will host Wayne State University for the final home games of the year at 2:30 pm on Tuesday, Apr. 19. The remainder of the Cardinals games will be on the road, with the final regular-season series at Ferris State on Saturday, Apr. 30.
Following the conclusion of the regular season, the GLIAC Tournament will be played at the Sports Force Parks in Sandusky, Ohio May 6-8. The winner of the tournament will receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament.
The Cardinals had six players earn All-GLIAC honors last year, with Jackie Popko and Emily Depew landing on the First Team. Popko finished the season with a .356 batting average, four home runs, 19 RBIs, 34 runs scored, and 22 stolen bases. Depew made 22 appearances in the pitching circle last season, including 19 starts. She finished the year with a 10-4 record, one save, and a 2.06 ERA in 115.1 innings pitched.
Earning Second Team All-GLIAC honors were Sara Moos and Blasia Moyler. Moos hit .295 in 44 games last season and slugged .372 while recording 19 RBIs. Moyler hit 12 home runs and drove in 30 runs in 2021. She tied for first in the conference in home runs hit.
Honorable Mention All-GLIAC went to Meagan VerVaecke and Sarah Gersch. All six of last year's All-GLIAC performers return to the Cardinals for the 2022 season.
SVSU's season begins at 11:00 am EST Thursday, Feb. 24 when the Cardinals face Upper Iowa University in the Rosemont Dome Tournament in Rosemont, Ill.
Season Preview with Head Coach Christie Ambrosi below: