FSU held off the Lakers by throwing out the potential tying run at the plate in game one (Photo by Eric Carlson)
FSU held off the Lakers by throwing out the potential tying run at the plate in game one (Photo by Eric Carlson)

Play At The Plate Holds Off GVSU In Game One

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball team pulled out an exciting 3-2 win over archrival Grand Valley State in the opening game of a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) doubleheader on Saturday (April 23) afternoon.

The Bulldogs held a 3-0 lead over the Lakers heading into the seventh inning when GVSU rallied.  The Lakers tallied five hits overall in the inning and trimmed the deficit to a single run with two outs and the bases loaded. However, Ferris secured the win as GVSU's Maggie Kerrigan was thrown out at the plate while trying to score the potential tying run off a hit from Katie Martin.

The loss was only Grand Valley State's eighth of the season as the Lakers fell to 34-8 overall and 20-5 in GLIAC action with Ferris State imrpoving to 16-19 overall and 13-10 in conference play.

The Bulldogs were outhit 10-4 for the game, but held the lead throughout with a single run in the second and two more in the bottom of the sixth.

Ferris State's first run came on an RBI double from senior catcher Rachel Mueller in the bottom of the second, which plated leftfielder Stephanie Dusendang.

After three scoreless innings followed, the Bulldogs added two more runs in the sixth frame. Junior third baseman Makenzi Peterson reached home plate on a sacrifice fly from Dusendang.  That was followed by two batters later by an RBI single from junior designated player Lindsey Pettit as pinch runner Brittney Buti tallied FSU's final run of the game.

Grand Valley State went three up and three down in three of the first four innings of the afternoon and also left two runners stranded on base in both the second and sixth innings of the contest.

FSU's Dana Bowler threw the entire seven innings for the Bulldogs in earning the win and improving to 11-8 overall this campaign.  She gave up 10 hits, but also struck out eight and walked only one against 30 batters faced.

Bowler's effort in the circle was helped by the Bulldogs' defense, which had only a single error in the game.

Mueller's double was the only extra base hit of the outing for the Bulldogs, who also received single hits apiece from center fielder Morgan Kramerich, Peterson and Pettit.  The double was the sixth of the season for Mueller, who was honored prior to the Senior Day contest along with two other fellow seniors in shortstop Lynsay Weaver and outfielder Colleen Roney.

FSU handed Grand Valley State pitcher Andrea Nicholson only her second setback of the year as she dropped to 16-2 overall despite allowing only four Bulldog hits.  She struck out four and walked three in six complete innings for the Lakers.

Carli Raisutis had a game-high three hits for GVSU with both Brittany and Briauna Taylor adding two each.

Overall, the Lakers left seven runners on base in the game compared to five for the Bulldogs.