Bulldog Softball Drops Two In League Double Dip At Findlay

Big Rapids, Mich. - Host Findlay rallied for a comeback win in the opener and then bolted out to an early advantage in the nightcap en route to a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) sweep over Ferris State in softball action on Friday (April 25) in Findlay, Ohio.

The Oilers trailed by six runs heading into their final at-bat in game one, but came up with six runs in the bottom of the seventh to send the contest into extra innings where they managed to get the winning run on an RBI single in the eighth for a 9-8 triumph.

Then, in game two, Findlay picked up right where it left off by scoring nine runs in the top of the first. They added three more in the second three in the fourth after FSU had scored four in its first at-bat to register a 15-5 victory.

Ferris State dropped to 13-18 overall and 8-12 in the GLIAC with the two setbacks while the Oilers improved to 22-15 overall and 13-11 in league action.

Findlay pounded out 15 hits to seven for FSU in game one with Courtney Dwyer totaling three hits. Megan Turner was one of six Oilers with two hits in the game and tied the game up with a three-run homer in the seventh. UF also recorded five doubles along with a triple. Both Turner and Tori Allen drove in three runs each.

In the circle, Findlay's Tawna Whited picked up her 15th win of the year by tossing all eight innings. She had six strikeouts and four walks while giving up eight runs on seven hits.

For Ferris State, freshman Megan Hiler threw six and one-third innings with three runs allowed on eight hits. She also had four strikeouts. Stacy Thompson surrendered five runs on five hits with junior Cara DeLange allowing a single run on two hits.

Senior Amy Dunleavy led the Bulldogs at the plate with a pair of hits and four RBI's. She had both a double and a homer for FSU in the loss. Taylor Verbic also had two hits, incluidng a double, with Rachael Gabrielson adding a two-bagger of her own.

Findlay's Bonnie Zappitelli pitched all five innings for the Oilers in game two and earned the win. Overall, she gave up five runs on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks. DeLange suffered the loss for the Bulldogs with 15 runs allowed on 15 hits, but she had five strikeouts. Hiler did not allow a run on two hits in one inning pitched.

The Oilers outhit the Bulldogs 17-6 in game two and also benefited from three Bulldog errors in the field. Tori Allen, Emily Reynolds and Morgan Arnold all had two hits apice for the hosts with Abby Funk notching two doubles and Jackie Messersmith hitting one.

The Bulldogs were led at the plate in the nightcap by Dunleavey, who homered, along with Verbic, who produced two RBI's and tripled for the Bulldogs.

Ferris State returns to action on Saturday (April 26) as the Bulldogs visit Hillsdale for a league twinbill starting at 1 p.m. (ET) in Hillsdale, Mich.

FSU then returns home to face Ashland on Sunday (April 27) in league play beginning at 11:30 a.m. (ET) with rival Grand Valley State set to visit Big Rapids for the final GLIAC regular-season action on Monday (April 28) starting at 11 a.m. (ET). All three dates are league doubleheaders.