Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball team opened up a 14-game Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) homestand with a league split versus Malone on Friday (April 11) at the FSU Softball Field in Big Rapids.
The two-game set represented the Bulldogs' first home action of the 2014 campaign.
Malone held off the Bulldogs in winning the opener by a 5-4 count, but FSU responded by taking game two with a 12-8 triumph in the nightcap.
In the opening game, Malone jumped out to a 3-2 lead after three innings before the Bulldogs pulled within a single run in the bottom of the fifth. However, the Pioneers scored a single run in both the sixth and seventh innings and then limited FSU to two runs in the Bulldogs' final at-bat to preserve the win.
Rachael Gabrielson homered for the Bulldogs while FSU also received doubles from both Megan Galganski and Michelle Tononi, who each had two hits. Tononi paced the Bulldogs with two RBI's.
In game two, Malone bolted out to a 4-0 lead after one inning before a seven-run second inning put the Bulldogs in front. FSU trailed 8-7 after three frames as the Pioneers scored three times in the third, but the Bulldogs answered with three runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth. Ferris State held Malone scoreless in its final four at-bats.
Both Gabrielson and Casey Bias homered for FSU while Sarah Johnson tripled and FSU also received doubles from Sydney Hasselbach along with Tononi and Galganski. Freshman Megan Hiler pitched two and two-thirds innings for FSU with Cara DeLange notching the win after tossing four and one-third shutout innings of work with only a single hit allowed.
The Bulldogs are presently 9-10 overall this season and 4-4 in league action after the split.
Ferris State continues its long homestand by hosting Saginaw Valley State on Saturday (April 12) at the FSU Softball Field in Big Rapids. First pitch for game one is set for 1 p.m. (ET) with game two to follow at approximately 3 p.m. (ET).
FSU then hosts Wayne State in a GLIAC twinbill on Sunday (April 13) also starting at 1 p.m.
Game One Boxscore:
http://www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com/sports/sball/2013-14/files/fsumal1.htm
Game Two Boxscore:
http://www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com/sports/sball/2013-14/files/fs_mal2.htm
