Ferris State Wraps Up Florida Trip On Three-Game Streak With Back-To-Back Wins Friday

Ferris State Wraps Up Florida Trip On Three-Game Streak With Back-To-Back Wins Friday

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball team wrapped up its week-long action in the Florida Rebel Spring Games riding a three-game winning streak as the Bulldogs posted back-to-back wins in their final day of competition on Friday (March 14) in Winter Haven, Fla.

The Bulldogs posted a 2-1 triumph over St. Cloud State in morning action on Friday and followed it up with a 5-2 victory over Lees-McRae (N.C.) to wrap up the event. FSU posted a 5-6 mark in its 11 contests played in the Sunshine State.

In the opener against the Huskies, Ferris State posted its only two runs of the game in the top half of the fifth inning, but that would be all the Bulldogs would need. St. Cloud State struck for its only run in the bottom of the sixth before the Bulldogs retired the sides and then struck out all three batters in the bottom of the seventh to seal the win.

Ferris State's two runs came on a two RBI single thru the right side from senior Amy Dunleavy. Her hit scored outfielders Alyssa Smith and Rachel Gabrielson, who both reached base on singles of their own.

Both teams recorded six hits apiece in the morning opener with Smith posting a pair of hits in leading the Bulldogs. Along with Dunleavy and Gabrielson, FSU also received hits from Megan Galganski along with shortstop Sarah Johnson.

On the St. Cloud State side, the Huskies were paced by Abby Bunnell and Breana Canova with two hits each. Amber Holmgren drove in the Huskies' lone run of the contest.

Freshman Megan Hiler earned the win for the Bulldogs after allowing only a single run on six hits. She had five strikeouts and walked one in five and one-third innings of work. Cara DeLange pitched two-thirds of an inning in relief before Stacy Thompson came on in the seventh to record the save by striking out all three batters she faced.

Kelly Franks took the loss for St. Cloud State while giving up both FSU runs on six hits. She totaled six strikeouts and four walks as the Huskies fell to 4-3 overall this season.

In the nightcap, the Bulldogs scored a pair of runs in the first inning as Galganski reached base on an error that scored two runs in the initial frame.

However, Lees-McRae tied the game back up with two runs of its own in the top of the third inning. FSU, though, eventually reclaimed the advantage for good by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth as the Bulldogs loaded the bases.

Lees-McRae threatened to score in the fifth before the Bulldogs retired the side and in the seventh, they loaded the bases on a pair of Bulldog errors before Thompson came up with the strikeout to give the Bulldogs the victory.

Ferris State returns home and is slated to officially open Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play at home versus Ashland on Saturday, March 22, at the FSU Softball Field in Big Rapids. First pitch for the conference twinbill gets underwway at 12 p.m. (ET) for game one, weather permitting.