Softball team splits another doubleheader

Lady Cardinals now 8-6 in GLIAC, 17-14 overall in season play

April 25, 2005 —

by Brandon Kish

Junior Karen Ray pitches against Hillsdale. She won the game 2-1 to improve to 7-7.

by Brandon Kish

Junior Tabitha Greenwood swings at a pitch from a Hillsdale pitcher April 15 at home. Greenwood is hitting .268 with a .476 slugging percentage and a team-leading four home runs.

by Brandon Kish

Junior Tabitha Greenwood is safe at second base on a muffed throw against Hillsdale on April 15.

After splitting its last two doubleheaders, the Saginaw Valley State University softball team's weekend doubleheaders against Gannon University and Mercyhurst College this past weekend were cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. At press time, no make-up games were scheduled.

This past Wednesday the SVSU softball team hosted a doubleheader against first place Northwood University and split the contest. It was the fifth doubleheader split of the season for the Cards.

Game one was won by the Timberwolves 7-5, while game two went to the Cardinals 1-0, with dominating pitching performances coming from both teams.

Junior Karen Ray pitched all seven innings and gave up only two hits, while striking out 12 batters in the second game shutout.

The Timberwolves Lisa Shepard was the hard-luck loser in game two, after allowing just one first-inning unearned run in the loss.

The split left Northwood's record at 21-9 (9-5 in the GLIAC).

The Lady Cards again split a doubleheader contest against Wayne State University on Sunday, April 17.

Game one was won by the Cardinals with a shutout of 3-0, while WSU took advantage of some poor fielding by the Lady Cards and take control of game two, 11-2.

Throwing the shutout in game one was sophomore Lorelea Rice, who struck out six hitters in seven innings pitched. She also gave up no walks and improved her overall record to 8-3 on the season.

In game two, mental mistakes cost the Lady Cardinals big, as they recorded six errors in the sixth inning alone, letting Wayne State explode for eight runs.

Ray started on the mound for the Cardinals and gave up three earned runs and struck out seven batters on her way to five and two-thirds innings pitched.

Both Holly Bruntjens and Lindsay Noren came in to finish off the game, but Ray was given the loss.

The Cardinals record is 17-14 overall and 8-6 in the GLIAC, they are currently ranked fifth in the conference.

The next game is scheduled for Friday, April 29 as they will travel to Lake Superior State and battle it out with the last place Lakers. It is a doubleheader, with the first pitch to be thrown at 1 pm.