MIDLAND, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team hit the road for the first time in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play in 2021, traveling to Northwood University Tuesday.

The Cardinals fell behind early and dropped game one 9-2. In the second game, SVSU saw a 7-0 lead evaporate and trailed heading to the seventh by a run. The Cardinals responded with two in the final inning to escape with a 10-9 win.

The split moves SVSU to 14-6 overall and 3-4 in the GLIAC.

In the opener, Northwood jumped out to a 7-0 lead before SVSU got on the board in the fifth with a two-run home run from Shelby Misiak.

The loss was charged to starter Julia Mundy (5-2). She went 2.2 innings, allowing five runs, one earned, on five hits, while walking four.

The second game started in reverse fashion, with the Cardinals taking the 7-0 lead. The scoring started with a two-run double from Blasia Moyler in the second. SVSU took advantage of three Northwood errors later in the inning to score three more runs.

Meagan VerVaecke hit a two-run home run in the third to extend the SVSU advantage. The Timberwolves got going with four in the third and one in the fifth to cut the deficit to 7-5. The Cardinals added a run in the fifth on an RBI single from Sarah Gersch.

Northwood took a one-run lead in the sixth to move in front for the first time in the contest. VerVaecke tied the score in the seventh with an RBI single and Gersch put the Cardinals in front for good with a sacrifice fly RBI.

Mundy (6-2) got the win in relief, entering the game in the sixth. She pitched 1.2 innings, allowing no runs on two hits.

The Cardinals continue road play this week with a pair of GLIAC doubleheaders starting against Ferris State University at 2 pm Friday in Big Rapids, Mich.