Cardinals Take Game 1 in GLIAC Tournament

MIDLAND, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University softball team got their 2009 GLIAC Tournament started in dramatic fashion today (May 1) with a walk-off homerun in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the No. 2 seeded Cardinals a 5-2 win over the over No. 7 Dragons of Tiffin University.

The Cardinals looked to have some early momentum in the first inning when the loaded the bases, but were unable to come away with any runs.

Tiffin would strike in the top of the third inning on a Ramirez homerun to left center field, but the Cardinals would answer in the bottom half when Jessica Anhel blasted a homerun that tied the game at 1-1.

The game would remain scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Nikki Bigelow lined a single up the middle that scored Nicole Fick who reached earlier in the inning on a single through the left side to give SVSU a 2-1 advantage.

Tiffin would even the score at 2-2 in the top of the seventh to set the stage for the dramatic and exciting finish in the bottom of the seventh. Angela Kaiser (Waterford, Mich./Our Lady of the Lakes HS) lined a one out single up the middle to get things started for the Cardinals. She would advance to second on a perfectly placed bunt single by Marsha Beaubien (Alpena, Mich.) to give SVSU runners on first and second for the three hitter Stacy Kraatz (Howell, Mich./Hartland HS). Kraatz would then blast a 2-2 pitch over the right center fence to give SVSU the 5-2 victory.

Jade Fulton (Byron, Mich.) got the start in the circle for the Cardinals, throwing six innings, allowing two runs on four hits before making way for Kari Bowlby (Elkhart, Ind./Central HS) who pitched the final inning picking up the win for SVSU.

SVSU moves to 32-9 overall on the season and will play No. 3 Ferris State at 4:00 PM on field 2 at Northwood University.