SANDUSKY, Ohio – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team completed its run through the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Postseason Tournament with a decisive victory over No. 1 seed Grand Valley State University on Sunday at Sports Force Park in Sandusky, Ohio.
The Cardinals scored three in the opening inning and led the entire way, as Emily Depew navigated seven innings on the mound to close out the championship win with a score of 6-1.
The GLIAC Tournament title is the first for SVSU since 2017 and the fourth overall (2008, 2009).
SVSU receives an automatic bid into the 2022 NCAA DII Midwest Regional Tournament starting Thursday. The Cardinals will learn the host site and their opening-round opponent during the NCAA DII Softball Selection Show at 10 am on Monday. CLICK HERE to watch the Selection Show.
The Cardinals (34-18) will appear in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018 and the sixth time in program history.
Championship Game Breakdown:
- The Cardinals jumped all over the Lakers early. The first batter of the game for SVSU, Sarah Gersch, sent a flyball to left field that was misplayed by GVSU. Gersch raced all the way home to make it 1-0.
- The Cardinals added two more runs in the first on RBI singles from Blasia Moyler and Alyssa Muench.
- The score remained 3-0 until Muench added an RBI double in the fifth. SVSU added two runs later in the inning, including an RBI bunt from Sydney Herioux and a run-scoring triple from Paige Kolinski.
- The Lakers had chances throughout the later innings, but Depew pitched around the GVSU threats. In the seventh inning, GVSU got on the board with an RBI single, but Depew struck out the final batter to clinch the championship for the Cardinals.
- Depew (14-9) tossed all seven innings, allowing one run on eight hits, walking one, and striking out five.
- Gersch and Muench each finished with two hits to lead the SVSU lineup.
