Bulldog Softball Wins GLIAC Tourney Opener

Bulldog Softball Wins GLIAC Tourney Opener

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball team exploded for six runs in the top of the second inning and went on to a 6-2 triumph over Ohio Dominican in the first round of the 2012 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Softball Tournament on Friday (April 27) in Findlay, Ohio.

The fifth-seeded Bulldogs tallied eight hits and junior pitcher Dana Bowler hurled a complete game six-hitter as FSU topped the fourth-seeded Panthers in the league tournament opener.
With the win, the Bulldogs will next face top-seeded archrival Grand Valley State in the winner's bracket Friday afternoon at 4 p.m.  The Lakers beat number eight seed Northwood by a 5-1 count in morning action.

Ferris State improved to 29-22 overall this campaign with the victory.  The Panthers managed to score a single run in the fourth and added one more in the seventh, but left two runners on base as the contest came to a close.

FSU's six runs in the second came on four hits and were aided by three Ohio Dominican errors.  They finished the game with four errors in the field while the Bulldogs had none.

Junior designated player Amy Dunleavy drove in a pair of runs while centerfielder Morgan Kramerich tallied two hits, including a triple.  Both Dunleavy and outfielder Lindsey Pettit doubled to help the FSU cause.  Pettit had two hits and a scored a run for the Bulldogs while Kramerich notched two hits, a run and an RBI.

On the Ohio Dominican side, Rebekha Lucas notched two hits.

Bowler pitched all seven innings and struck out eight batters while walking none in the game.  She improved to 14-9 overall this season with the win.

Meanwhile, the Panthers utilized three different pitchers.  Rachael Stanzel suffered the loss as she allowed all six runs on four hits in one and two-thirds innings pitched as she dropped to 15-10 on the year with the setback.

The double-elimination conference tournament continues thru Sunday (April 29) at the Marathon Diamonds Complex in Findlay.