Sophomore first baseman Chelsea Morris makes the catch in Wednesday's league opener against Saginaw Valley State.  (Photo by Sandy Gholston)
Sophomore first baseman Chelsea Morris makes the catch in Wednesday's league opener against Saginaw Valley State. (Photo by Sandy Gholston)

Saginaw Valley State Hands Bulldogs 2-0 Loss In GLIAC Opener

The Ferris State University softball team dropped its 2010 season home opener this Wednesday (March 31) to nationally 14th-ranked Saginaw Valley State as the Cardinals recorded a 2-0 game one shutout victory at the FSU Softball Field in Big Rapids, Mich.

SVSU pitcher Jade Fulton held the Bulldogs in check by allowing only four hits in a complete-game decision.

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) opener for both teams was scoreless through the opening two innings before the visiting Cardinals struck for a pair of runs on three hits in the top of the third inning.  A one-out single by Angie Kaiser thru the right side of the Ferris State infield accounted for the contest's first score.  SVSU's second run came as a result of a RBI sacrifice fly to left field off the bat of Jordan Stuart.

Ferris State's only scoring threat came in the bottom of the sixth inning when senior second baseman Amanda Harrington (St. Joseph/Stevensville-Lakeshore) lead off with a double down the right field line.  She would advance to third base on a groundout but was stranded there as the next two FSU hitters both struck out.

Besides Harrington, freshman outfielder Morgan Kramerich (Crest Hill, Ill./Lockport), junior shortstop Lynsay Weaver (Bay City/All Saints), and sophomore third baseman Makenzi Peterson (Big Rapids) all recorded a single apiece.

Senior pitcher Kayle Stevenson (Holland/West Ottawa) took the loss for Ferris State to even her record at 5-5 this spring.  She allowed nine hits while giving up two runs (both earned) and fanned one SVSU batter. 

The loss dropped Ferris State to 9-8 overall and 0-1 in the conference while the Cardinals improve to 14-2 overall and 1-0 in the GLIAC.