High-Scoring Affair Favors Ferris State In Doubleheader Nightcap
The second game of Friday's (April 8) Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) doubleheader between the Ferris State University softball team and Lake Superior State was a sharp contrast from the opener as both team combined for 22 runs, 28 base hits, and five errors as the Bulldogs were able to come out victorious 13-9 with a four-run eighth inning at the FSU Varsity Softball Field in Big Rapids, Mich.
The sweep improved Ferris State's winning streak to three as the Bulldogs are now 11-13 overall and 8-4 in conference play this spring. Lake Superior State dropped to 3-16 overall and 0-12 in the GLIAC with the two setbacks.
While the earlier game featured a shutout victory (4-0) by the Bulldogs, the script for the second game was written from an offensive view as a combined nine runs were scored in the first three innings alone followed by eight in the next three and five in the final two frames.
Ferris State scored twice in the first two innings to claim a 2-0 advantage as junior first baseman Chelsea Morris (Jenison) doubled in the initial run in the first while sophomore second baseman Lainee Clay (Wheelersburg, Ohio) singled in the second to generate the Bulldogs' second run of the contest. FSU increased its lead to 6-0 in the top of the third inning by talllying four runs on as many hits. Back-to-back RBI singles by senior catcher Rachel Mueller (Milford/Santa Clarita, Calif. Valencia) and sophomore designated player Lindsey Pettit (Portland) accounted for the stanza's first two scores. A sacrifice RBI flyout off the bat of Lainee Clay brought home another run and the fourth run came about as a result of sophomore outfielder Morgan Kramerich's (Crest Hill, Ill./Lockport) two-out triple to left centerfield.
Lake Superior State, which compiled 12 hits in the game to Ferris' 16-hits output, put three up on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third off Bulldog freshman pitcher Amy Dunleavy (Canton) thanks to four hits. However, FSU would recover to produce three runs of its own in the top of the fifth with three hits and a LSSU error. The first three batters to lead off reached base on singles and a Lakers' infield error brought home the first run. A fielder's choice game senior outfielder Colleen Roney (Wheaton, Ill./Glen Ellyn Glenbard South) a RBI and a groundout by junior third baseman Makenzi Peterson (Big Rapids) produced a run to put the Bulldogs up 9-3 thru four and one-half innings. LSSU tallied once in the fourth before erupting for four in the sixth to chase Amy Dunleavy out of the circle, highlighted by Nicole Preuss' two-run homer to left field. The Lakers were draw to within 9-8 before the inning concluded as the Bulldogs committed two more errors and gave the visitors an opportunity to tie the game.
In the bottom of the seventh, Lake Superior State pushed across the contest's tying run. Sophomore Dana Bowler (Lockport, Ill.) was called upon to open up the inning in relief of sophomore Emily Carlson (Wixom/Walled Lake Western), who spelled starter Amy Dunleavy in LSSU's high-scoring sixth inning. Bowler allowed a game-tying RBI sacrifice fly by Felicia Gingrich, but was also to escape further damage by retiring the third out on an infield foul out.
Quickly and with much success, the Bulldogs turned the momentum to their side in the top of the eighth inning by scoring four runs on three hits to snap the nine-all deadlock. Ferris started out loading the bases with three consecutive singles as the latter by Chelsea Morris proved to be the game-winning hit. Stephanie Dusendang's fielder choice scored the next run while Lindsey Pettit (Portland) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to net the third run. Lainee Clay's sacrifice fly scored Morris to give Ferris State a four-run lead going into the bottom half of the inning. Bowler was successful in getting the first two outs before giving up a single, but a fly out to left field ended the Lakers' aspirations for another comeback.
Dana Bowler (7-5) earned her second win of the day by throwing the last two innings and giving up three hits and one run (earned). Colleen Roney and Chelsea Morris each compiled three hits to lead Ferris State offensively as five different batters generated multiple hits. Lainee Clay knocked in three runs to pace the Bulldogs and Morris along with Lindsey Pettit contributed two RBIs apiece.
The Bulldogs will now take on the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals this weekend (April 9-10) in a pair of GLIAC North Division doubleheaders at University Center, Mich. This Saturday's (April 9) action gets started at 1 p.m. (EDT) with game one followed by the second game at 3 p.m. (EDT). The two teams square off on Sunday (April 10) with the opener beginning at noon (EDT) and the nightcap commencing at 2 p.m. (EDT).
Notes: Chelsea Morris notched her fourth three-hit game effort of this season in the contest . . . Makenzi Peterson extended her current hitting string to seven games and is batting .464 (13-28) during that span . . . Dana Bowler's seven victories (7-5) is one shy of equalling her wins total (8-10) from a season ago . . . Makenzi Peterson is six more hits away from registering number 100 in her career. The 2010 All-GLIAC Honorable Mention selection has accumulated 94 career base hits in 106 outings to date . . . Colleen Roney's 24 hits this season in 24 contests marks a personal career best, eclipsing her 20 hits last season in 34 games.