SANDUSKY, Ohio – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team opened up the 2022 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Postseason Tournament on Saturday at Sports Force Parks in Sandusky, Ohio.

The Cardinals were scoreless with Wayne State University in the quarterfinals until the eighth when Jackie Popko doubled home the game's lone run to push SVSU to a 1-0 win.

In the semifinals, SVSU matched up with Ferris State University. After a back-and-forth battle, the Cardinals took control with four runs in the sixth on the way to a 7-4 win.

By advancing to the GLIAC Championship game, SVSU pushes its record to 33-18.

Quarterfinal Game Breakdown:

• The Cardinal offense was stifled by the pitching of Paige Ameel, who held SVSU to three hits through the first seven innings.
• SVSU starter Julia Mundy overpowered the Warriors through 6.1 innings. Wayne State was able to put two runners on the bases with one out in the seventh.
• SVSU countered with Emily Depew in relief, and she struck out the final two batters of the seventh to keep the game scoreless.
• In the bottom of the eighth, Sydney Herioux led off with a walk but remained at first after two Cardinal outs. Jackie Popko walked the game off with a game-winning double to score Herioux.
• Mundy pitched 6.1 scoreless innings, allowing six hits and striking out three. Depew (13-9) tossed the final 1.2 perfect innings to earn the win, striking out three.

Semifinal Game Breakdown:

• The Bulldogs got the scoring started with one run in the first and one in the second to lead 2-0.
• SVSU got on the board with an RBI single from Sarah Gersch in the second and tied the game with an RBI single from Jessica Kreuzer in the fourth.
• The Cardinals moved in front for the first time with a squeeze play RBI by Meagan VerVaecke in the fifth to make it 3-2.
• Ferris State answered right back with two runs in the top of the sixth to move in front 4-3.
• In the bottom of the sixth, Gersch tripled and later scored on a single from Popko to tie the game.
• VerVaecke gave SVSU the lead once again with an RBI single to score Popko. After the Cardinals added a run on a wild pitch, Blasia Moyler made it 7-4 with an RBI.
• Jaclyn Groves (6-1) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings of relief, allowing no hits, and one walk.
• Julia Salisbury led the SVSU offense with three hits, while Gersch and Moyler each finished with two hits.

The No. 2 seed Cardinals advance to the GLIAC Championship Game to take on No. 1 seed Grand Valley State University with an automatic bid to the NCAA DII Regional Tournament on the line. The first pitch is set for 10 am in Sandusky, Ohio.