April 1, 2005
Softball
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CARDS SPLIT GLIAC OPENER AT GRAND VALLEY STATE

ALLENDALE, Mich. - The outcome of Friday's GLIAC opening twinbill against Grand Valley State came down to each team scoring in their final at-bats as SVSU and GVSU split a pair of 1-0 games. GVSU scored in the bottom of the seventh inning with one out for a one-run win in game one. Megan Smith singled in Denise Ireton for the game-winning run as SVSU starter junior Karen Ray (Fenton, Mich./Lake Fenton) suffered a tough loss falling to 4-4. Ray went 6.1 innings and scattered seven hits with four strikeouts. Allison Crews picked up the win for GVSU throwing 1.2 relief innings and allowing no hits with one strikeout. Junior designated player Jamie Seaman (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Oakland C.C.) collected a double in three at-bats and sophomore shortstop Sara Seronko (Gladstone, Mich.) had a triple in three at-bats for SVSU's extra-base hits. The Cardinals best scoring threat came in the top of the third as Seronko tripled followed by a Monica Sims (Millbury, Ohio/Owens C.C.) walk and stolen base. With runners on second and third with no outs, two strikeouts and a fly out ended the inning.
     SVSU came up with late-inning heroics in a 1-0 game two victory. The game was scoreless through seven innings and the Lakers came up empty in the top of the eighth. The Cards began the bottom of the eighth with a single by Emily Byram (Grand Rapids, Mich./Allendale) followed by a sacrifice bunt by Seronko sending Byram to second. Sims singled to left center with the game-winning RBI plating Byram.
      Sophomore Lorelea Rice (East Caledon, Ont./Mayfield Secondary) tossed a five-hit shutout going eight innings. She walked three and struck out five improving to 4-2. Sims was 2-for-4 with two singles. Byram was 2-for-3 with two singles and the winning run. SVSU (9-8, 1-1 GLIAC) next travels to Big Rapids for a doubleheader with Ferris State on Sunday, April 3rd at 1:00 pm.

Game 1, Game 2
     

Contact: Ryan Thompson (989) 964-4053

##SVSU##