Walk-Off Single In 7th Drops Bulldogs

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball team suffered a heart-breaking 3-2 loss to Southwest Minnesota State in the Florida Rebel Spring Games Tournament on Sunday (March 4) afternoon in Kissimmee, Fla.

SW Minnesota State's Amy Dreessen hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning to drop FSU to 1-2 on the season.  The loss came in the first of two FSU contests on Sunday in the tournament at Oren Brown Park.

Ferris State scored a single run each in the top of the both fourth and fifth innings to grab the initial lead in the game.

However, the Mustangs scored two runs in the fifth inning to tie the game at two. Christine Borowiak hit a leadoff double to the gap in right center. After Borowiak stole third base, Kris Penick drove in SMSU's first run of the game on a sacrifice fly to center field to make the score 2-1.

With two outs and the bases empty, Krista Steen reached on an error and the next three batters walked to score Alysse Luttmann, who pinch ran for Steen to tie the game.

The Mustangs got some help in the bottom of the seventh inning when Chelsey Rodenkirch and Ashley Gigax both reached on throwing errors. Dreessen stepped up to the plate in another big situation and delivered the game-winning single through the right side of the infield.

Senior third baseman Makenzi Peterson continued to produce at the plate as she led the Bulldogs with three hits and an RBI.  Second baseman Lainee Clay added a pair of hits for FSU.  Clay and senior first baseman Chelsea Morris both doubled.

Bulldog pitcher Amy Dunleavy took the loss in the circle after pitching two innings in relief.  She allowed only one run on one hit and struck out one.  Cara DeLange threw the initial 4.2 innings and gave up two runs on two hits with five strikeouts and six walks.

Southwest Minnesota State's Chelsey Evans earned the victory despite giving up nine hits.  She had two strikeouts and one walk.

Overall, Ferris held a 9-3 advantage in hits, but the Bulldogs had four errors in the field to only one for the Mustangs.

Ferris State was slated to face C.W. Post (N.Y.) in Sunday's late afternoon contest at 3 p.m. (ET).