Lynsay Weaver and the Bulldogs suffered a 12-5 setback to Saginaw Valley State in Sunday's twinbill finale.  (Photo by Eric Carlson)
Lynsay Weaver and the Bulldogs suffered a 12-5 setback to Saginaw Valley State in Sunday's twinbill finale. (Photo by Eric Carlson)

Saginaw Valley State Deals Bulldogs A 12-5 Setback In Finale

The Ferris State University softball team accumulated a run in each of the last four innings but couldn't overcome an early eight-run deficit in Sunday's (April 10) game two of a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division doubleheader to suffer a 12-5 loss to Saginaw Valley State at SVSU's Cardinal Field in University Center, Mich.

The loss overshadowed a pair of productive offensive performances from sophomore designated player Lindsey Pettit (Portland) and junior outfielder Stephanie Dusendang (Comstock Park/Rockford).  Pettit went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and four RBI while Dusendang recorded two hits in three at bats with three runs scored and a RBI for Ferris State, which falls to 13-15 overall and 10-6 in conference divisional competition.  

For the second straight time, the Cardinals started off strong with five runs in the first inning off freshman pitcher Amy Dunleavy (Canton) and added three more in the third with sophomore Emily Carlson (Wixom/Walled Lake Western) in the pitching circle. 

Ferris State was able to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning with a pair of runs on three hits.  Stephanie Dusendang and senior shortstop Lynsay Weaver (Bay City/All Saints) began the inning with consecutive singles.  Lindsey Pettit drove in the Bulldogs' initial run with an one-out single through the left side of Saginaw Valley State's infield to score Dusendang.  Following a walk by SVSU starting pitcher Alexa Gehrls (9-3) to sophomore second baseman Lainee Clay (Wheelersburg, Ohio), sophomore outfielder Morgan Kramerich (Crest Hill, Ill./Lockport) reached base on an infield SVSU error which scored freshman pinch-runner Brittney Buti (Niles) from third base.  The Bulldogs picked up a single run in the fifth to make it an 8-3 contest as Stephanie Dusendang ripped a one out solo home-run over the left field fence for her first collegiate roundtripper.

Saginaw Valley State generated two runs apiece in both the sixth and seventh innings off sophomore relief pitcher Dana Bowler (Lockport, Ill.), which was highlighted by Kaitlyn Kenyon's two-run homer in the seventh frame.  The Bulldogs scored once in the sixth with Lindsey Pettit's leadoff home run and netted another run in the bottom of the seventh when Pettit doubled in Stephanie Dusendang, who walked to lead off the inning.  

For Ferris State, Amy Dunleavy (4-8) took the loss as she gave up five runs and five hits apiece while getting one out before yielding to Emily Carlson, who threw 2.1 innings in relief and gave up three runs.

The Bulldogs will be idle until this upcoming weekend, April 15-17, with six conference home games at the FSU Varsity Softball Field in Big Rapids, Mich.  The homestand gets underway Friday (April 15) with a pair of outings against the Findlay Oilers, beginning at 3:30 p.m. (EDT) with game two to follow at 5:30 p.m. (EDT).

Notes: Makenzi Peterson's 34 base hits this season in 28 games is two shy of equalling her career single-season best 36 hits in 37 contests last season . . . Lindsey Pettit concluded the four-game series at Saginaw Valley State batting a squad-best .556 average (5-9) with three RBIs in three outings . . . Makenzi Peterson's 10-game hitting streak was snapped by going hitless in three at bats . . .  Lainee Clay's two-hit performance represented her fifth multiple-hit game of this spring, which includes three in her last five contests to date . . . Lynsay Weaver extended her team-leading 13-game hitting string with a fourth-inning single in the nightcap.