Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

DETROIT – Detroit began the 2011 softball home slate with a doubleheader against the Saginaw Valley Cardinals Sunday at Buysse Ballpark as freshman Shelby Long (St. Peters, MO/Fort Zumwalt) knocked in three RBI for Detroit in game two.

The Titans fell 8-0 in five innings in the first game and 8-3 in the second game to the Cardinals.

In the second contest, Long accounted for all three Titan RBI with a two-run home run and a RBI groundout. Her home run blast sailed over the centerfield wall on the first pitch of her at bat in the sixth inning bringing in freshman Sara Cupp (Hartland, MI/Milford).

Game one saw sophomore pitcher Anna Bondy (Newport, MI/Carleton-Airport) make her first start and third appearance for Detroit this year. Bondy finished the contest allowing eight runs (seven earned) on six hits.

Saginaw Valley had a 1-0 lead heading into the top of the fifth, but timely hits from the Cardinals and defensive indecision in the field from the Titans, led to a seven run fifth for Saginaw Valley.

Game two saw freshman Julia Maksym (Manistee, MI/Manistee) start for the Titans in the circle as she held the Cardinals to just two runs through five innings.

The bottom of the fourth saw the first Detroit run score as a walk to junior Rachel Copple (Dearborn Heights, MI/Cabrini) and a Cardinal error put runners on the corners with Cupp at first and Copple at third. Long then brought home Copple for her fourth RBI of the year with a ground out to the pitcher.

Long's fifth and sixth RBI of the season came in the sixth inning as Cupp singled to left field to reach first. On the next pitch, Long belted a high fly ball over the fence to bring the Titans to within four at 7-3.

The sixth inning saw Saginaw Valley put five runs on the board and put some distance between them and the Titans. The Cardinals added another score in the top of the seventh to reach the 8-3 final.

Detroit moves to 4-8 on the season and will hit the road to face Oakland this Thursday for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.