Athletics News
Women's Softball(view archives)
| Squeeze Play Advances Cardinals to the Second Round |
| UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Cardinals began their quest for a national championship today as they started play in the NCAA Division II Softball Midwest Regional, taking on Lewis University in the opening round of the tournament. Sophomore Jade Fulton (Byron, Mich.) got the start for Saginaw Valley State in their second straight NCAA tournament appearance, trying to wipe away the national tournament slate of last season when the Cardinals dropped each of their first two games in the tournament to end their season. The first real scoring threat came in the top of the fourth inning by Lewis University, as they placed runners on second and third after two straight singles with two outs in the inning. A groundout to Nicole Fick (Columbiaville, Mich.) at shortstop ended the threat, however. The Cardinals responded with a threat of their own in the bottom half of the inning, as Saginaw Valley had Jessica Anhel (Oxford, Mich.) at second base with two outs after a hit by pitch and a play which advanced her to second. Their threat was put out as well though, as pinch-hitter Jillian Peterson (Freeland, Mich.) struck out to end the inning. Lewis kept the pressure on in the top of the fifth inning, as Carissa Castonzo tripled to right center to lead off the inning. The next batter, Lisa Gartland, appeared to drive the run in on a sacrifice fly to right field, as Castonzo crossed the plate before the tag. The Cardinals appealed over to third base, however, and Castonzo was called out for leaving the base early, keeping the score knotted at zero going into the bottom half of the fifth. The Cardinals again threatened in the bottom of the fifth, after Sarah Sheffer (Watervliet, Mich.) walked in place of Shannon McLaughlin (Watervliet, Mich.), who then came back in to run. A sacrifice bunt and an advance to third after a pop out in foul territory put McLaughlin at third with GLIAC Player of the Year Marsha Beaubien (Alpena, Mich.) at the plate. Again, though, the batter struck out, stranding McLaughlin in scoring position. In the top of the sixth, Lewis finally got on the board, as a two-out single by Stephanie Trapp to left field drove in Kelly Dianis from second base to make it a 1-0 Flyer lead going into the home half of the inning. Dianis had reached on a one-out single and then stole second base. For the third straight inning, Saginaw Valley put a runner in scoring position, and the third time was a charm for the Cardinals this time, after Stacy Kraatz (Howell, Mich.) reached on an error to lead off the inning. Billi Hoeppner (Hemlock, Mich.) came in to pinch run and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Ashley Jordan (Freeland, Mich.) tied the game up at one with a single to center field, Saginaw’s second hit of the game, which brought Hoeppner around to score on a close play at home. With the game in extra innings, Fick came up and almost ended the game with one swing in the bottom of the ninth, as she smacked a double off the right-center field fence to lead off the home half of the inning. Jordan, the clutch hitter from the sixth inning, laid down a sacrifice bunt in the next at-bat, moving Ashley Coffin (Sterling Heights, Mich.), the pinch runner, to third base with one out. The next batter was Nikki Bigelow (Grandville, Mich.), who laid down a squeeze play. Courtney Lyons, Lewis University’s pitcher, fielded the bunt and shoveled it to home where the catcher, Brittany DiPietro appeared to get the clutch out to get out of the jam. The ball rolled free from her grasp as she attempted to apply the tag, and Coffin was safe at home to end the game and send Saginaw Valley State to the second round of the winner’s bracket. Jordan and Bigelow each had one RBI, and Fulton went 7.1 innings, allowing eight hits, one run, and struck out one. Kari Bowlby (Elkhart, Ind./Central) got the win in relief, pitching 1.2 innings and striking out two. The Cardinals will play Northern Kentucky on Friday, May 8, at 10:00 AM, with Ferris State and Lewis playing at 12:30 in the loser’s bracket. Box Score |
