The SVSU softball team enjoyed a weekend trip to Ohio by winning each of its four games against Walsh College and Lake Erie.

The road trip was the start of conference play for the Cardinals. With back-to-back doubleheader sweeps, the Cards are 12-3 overall and 4-0 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).

Saturday’s doubleheader was against 3-8 Lake Erie College. SVSU brought its offense and then some into the series, scoring 18 runs in game one and 20 in game two.

Game one went five innings. It was a rough start for senior pitcher Alexa Gehrls. The righty surrendered two earned runs in the opening inning off of a walk and two hits, including a homerun.

Despite getting down early, the Cardinals’ offense was not discouraged and quickly answered in the bottom half of the inning.

After junior infielder Marcy Medina reached base on a walk, senior Lindsay Hayward crushed a two-run home run. She would finish with five runs batted in on the day.

The second inning was when the Cards put the game away. Sophomore catcher Kari Knight smacked a home run and the rest of the lineup did its part en route to scoring 14 runs.

The Storm scored a couple runs later in the game, but failed to cut into the 15-run deficit as SVSU held on for the 18-4 victory.

Game two once again saw the Cardinals’ offense hit the top off of the ball.

In another five-inning contest, the lady Cards jumped out early, scoring four runs in the first inning.

The offense was contagious as SVSU scored three, six and seven runs in the following innings to cap off the game, 20-6.

Knight and junior Amanda Best led the offensive charge. Knight went one for two and hit her second home run of the day, while Best finished with three hits including two dingers.

Friday’s doubleheader matched the Cardinals against the Walsh College Cavaliers. The series was filled with excellent pitching from the Cards’ staff.

Game one went ten innings and ended with some heroics.

After being tied at one throughout the game, Medina came to the plate with a runner on third and just one out. She then laced a single to left field that drove in the winning run, giving SVSU a 2-1 victory over the Cavaliers.

Sarah Vrabel went the entire way for the Cardinals, pitching ten innings of one-run ball while striking out five.

Coach Todd Buckingham noted that Vrabel’s performance was clutch given how tight the game was.

“Vrabel really kept us in the game,” he said. “We were really struggling to hit their pitcher, but we managed to pull it out in the 10th with some timely hitting.”

Game two once again saw a Cards’ pitcher finishing what she started. Sophomore Sarah Appold threw seven solid innings, surrendering just four hits and striking out 15 batters.

The offense came to life early and supported the solid outing by Appold.

Four Cardinals finished with two hits. Best and junior Amanda Kimes each hit the ball out of the park in what resulted in an 8-1 SVSU victory.

Buckingham noted that his team’s pitching was crucial in the sweep.

“Our pitching was lights out,” he said. “(Vrabel) and (Appold) had complete command of their pitches.”

Next up for the Cardinals is a home doubleheader against Wayne State University. The games will begin at noon Saturday, March 29.