May 6, 2005
Softball
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CARDS DROP TWO OF THREE AT GLIAC TOURNAMENT

MIDLAND, Mich. - The 2005 GLIAC Tournament proved to be a series of ups and downs for the Cardinals as they finished with a 1-2 record on Friday and were eliminated from the tournament. Saginaw Valley State entered the tournament as the seventh seed and gave second-seeded Ferris State a battle before losing 5-4 in 10 innings in their first game of the day. FSU built a 3-1 lead after four innings as starting pitcher Lorelea Rice (Caledon East, Ont.) was replaced by Karen Ray (Fenton, Mich./Lake Fenton) with two outs in the fourth inning. Ray helped calm the storm and kept Ferris off the scoreboard for the next five innings. Saginaw Valley chipped away at the two-run lead with single runs in the fifth and seventh innings. A costly Ferris State error with two outs in the top of the seventh allowed an unearned run to cross the plate. Denise Betts (Harbor Springs, Mich.) singled with one out and advanced to second on the error off the bat of Katie Albert (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) who popped up to shortstop only to have the ball drop off the mitt of Navreet Gill of the Bulldogs. Jamie Seaman (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Lakeshore) delivered a shot down the left field line for a double which scored Betts from second with the tying run. The Cardinals saw their next six batters record an out in the eighth and ninth innings setting up the tiebreaker which places a runner on second to begin an inning. Monica Sims (Millbury, Ohio) was placed on second making the final out in the top of the ninth and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Albert. Seaman drove in Sims with a bloop double down the right field line to give SVSU a 4-3 lead. The Cardinals took the field in the bottom of the 10th and the leadoff hitter, Amy Dollarhite, was hit by a pitch. Jessica Jaroniewski sacrificed the runners over to second and third with one out and Melissa Worsley singled up the middle to drive in the winning runs. Seaman was 3-for-4 with three doubles and both RBI for the Cards. Ray threw 5.2 innings and allowed one earned run with eight strikeouts.
      The Cardinals regrouped to eliminate Grand Valley State, 4-1, in their second game of the day facing elimination themselves in the loser's bracket. The Lakers lost 7-2 to Wayne State in their first game. SVSU jumped out 3-0 in the top of the first as they registered four hits in the inning. Betts led off the game with a single through the right side of the infield and Sims followed with a ground-rule double to left. Albert grounded to third but plated Betts with the first run. Tabitha Greenwood (Vassar, Mich.) singled in the hole between short and third with two outs to plate Sims for a 2-0 lead. The Cards scored their final run in the first on a error by Crista Buresh at first base off the bat of Stephanie Sills (Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa Valley). The error allowed Greenwood to score from second. The Lakers scored their lone run in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Denise Ireton with two outs. Ireton drove in Tara Marsh who was 3-for-4. Saginaw Valley added one run in the top of the second as Betts led off with a single and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Betts moved to third on a groundout to second base by Sims with one out. Albert hit an RBI groundout to shortstop which scored Betts. Albert drove in two runs despite going 0-for-4 at the plate. Ray improved to 10-11 going the distance on the mound. She scattered six hits and struck out seven Lakers. Stephanie Cole took the loss allowing seven hits and three earned runs with three walks.
      Saginaw Valley was eliminated from the tournament at the hands of Gannon who beat the Cardinals, 9-1, in six innings. The Cardinals ran out of gas early in the contest and fell behind 3-0 after one inning. The Golden Knights hit two homers in the first as starter Rice recorded just two outs before giving way to Ray. Ray threw 4.2 innings and surrendered three earned runs with four strikeouts. Freshman Lindsay Noren (South Lyon, Mich.) recorded two outs in the circle in the bottom of the sixth before Gannon pushed across their ninth run which resulted in a mercy rule of eight runs in the sixth inning. Charity Sharp in the two-spot of the lineup was 4-for-4 with two runs scored for Gannon. Joanna Fergus drove in four runs and hit two home runs for GU. Seaman was 1-for-3 with a single in the third. Sills was 1-for-3 in the seventh-spot with her third double of the year in the second inning. Gannon opened the game up with three additional runs in the fifth inning to take a 7-0 lead. SVSU scored once in the sixth as Greenwood reached on an error and advanced to second on the wild throw. She moved to third on a groundout by Rice and scored on a wild pitch with two outs.
     Saginaw Valley State finishes the season with an overall record of 20-20 and sees Albert, Nicole Shick (Montrose, Mich.), Emily Byram (Grand Rapids, Mich./Allendale) and Betts play their last games for SVSU.

Ferris Stats, Grand Valley Stats, Gannon Stats

Contact: Ryan Thompson (989) 964-4053

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