Softball Splits Pair Versus Saginaw Valley State

The Northwood University softball team split a pair of games against rival Saginaw Valley State Saturday afternoon (April 27).  The Cardinals earned a 6-5 win in game one before the Timberwolves posted an 11-1 victory in the nightcap.

The loss in game one snapped the Timberwolves eight game winning streak.  Northwood now stands and 28-15 overall, 18-6 in the GLIAC.  SVSU falls to 15-21 overall, 11-11 in the GLIAC.

Northwood got off to strong start in game one, plating three runs in the first inning.  Two of the three runs came on back-to-back home runs by Paige Shields (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Regina) and Stacey Klonowski (Canton, Mich./Plymouth).  But the Cardinals proved resilient, score three in the third to go back on top 4-3.  The two teams then each scored single runs in four straight half innings to make the score 6-5 SVSU heading into the bottom of the sixth.  SVSU made several strong plays to maintain their lead and earn the win.  Klonowski finished 3-4 with a home run, while Shields went 2-4 with a homer and two RBI's. 

After the loss in game one, Northwood wasted no time bouncing back in game two.  The Timberwolves plated four runs in the first inning.  Rachel Hammer (Commerce, Mich./Lakeland) and Sam Zaborowski (Taylor, Mich./Cabrini) each had RBI hits, while Lyndsey Look (Pinconning, Mich.) drove in a pair with a double.  SVSU made the score 4-1 in the second, but Northwood came back with four more runs in the fourth inning.  Jessica Tostrud (Kenosha, Wisc./Mary D. Bradford) started the scoring in the inning with an RBI single.  Hammer then singled on a suicide squeeze but to make it 6-1.  After a throwing error by SVSU made it 7-1, Zaborowski hit a sac fly to make the score 8-1.  Northwood then finished the game off in the sixth with three more runs. Marisa Borkowski (Sterling Heights, Mich./Stevenson) had an RBI single to extend the lead to eight runs, which was followed by a two-run single by Shields to round out the scoring.  Shields, Tostrud, Hammer and Look each finished with three hits in the game, as the Timberwolves finished the contest with 16 hits.  Shields, Hammer, Zaborowski and Look also added two RBI's each.   Casey Brown (Hudson, Ohio) picked up her second win of the weekend, allowing one run on seven hits in six innings of work to improve to 6-5 on the season.

Northwood will travel to Ferris State for a key GLIAC Doubleheader Sunday (April 28).  The two teams are currently tied for second place in the conference standings at 18-6.  Northwood would clinch second place and the No. 2 seed in the GLIAC Tournament with one victory tomorrow, thanks to the Timberwolves having a win against first place Grand Valley State.