Ferris State Takes SVSU To Wire In Weather Impacted Conference Doubleheader

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball squad played another pair of tight Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) contests on Saturday (March 31), but dropped a pair of close games in a league road doubleheader at Saginaw Valley State in University Center, Mich.

The host Cardinals took game one by holding off FSU for a 7-6 triumph and then pulled out an 8-4 decision in game two, which was halted after five innings due to rain and heavy winds. The doubleheader was pushed ahead to a morning start due to the weather.

In the opener, the Cardinals scored three runs in the first inning and built a 4-0 lead before the Bulldogs rallied. FSU put three runs across the plate in the third to pull back within one and then finally tied the game up in the fifth with two additional runs. However, SVSU scored in the bottom of both the fifth and sixth innings and limited FSU to a single run in the seventh to hold on for the win.

Overall, the Cardinals outhit FSU in the opener 11-8, but also had two errors in the field to only one for the Bulldogs.

Second baseman Logan Fleming homered for the Bulldogs in the setback while senior catcher Emily Reed drove in two runs for FSU. Both Reed and leftfielder Emily Smith had two hits each. Along with Reed, Fleming and Smith both had an RBI in addition to Kodi Ramirez. FSU's Sarah Meredith and Jackie Stone joined Reed with doubles.

Senior pitcher Sam Bates gave up seven runs on 11 hits with three strikeouts and two walks. The Cardinals produced three home runs in the game, but had to utilize three different pitchers of their own in holding off Ferris State. FSU had the tying run on third before the final out in the seventh.

In game two, the Cardinals again surged in front first with a run in the first and two more in the third. But, Ferris State moved in front with four runs in the fourth before the Cardinals answered with four runs of their own in the fourth. They later added one more in the fifth before the contest was stopped due to weather. SVSU had 11 hits to three for the Bulldogs overall.

Ferris State's hits in game two came from Meredith along with designated player Alyssa Gill and centerfielder Paige Kortz. Gill doubled and had two RBI's while Kortz had one for FSU.

In the circle, FSU's Katie Ross tossed three innings and allowed five runs on seven hits with three walks and a strikeout. Bates threw a single inning, giving up two runs on two hits with Hannah Leppek hurling two-thirds of an inning and holding SVSU to a single run on two hits.

Ferris State is slated to play its next 12 games at home with six league doubleheaders starting on Tuesday (April 3) when FSU hosts Ashland at the FSU Softball Field. First pitch for game one is at 2 p.m. (ET) with the nightcap starting at 4 p.m. (ET). The homestand runs thru April 15.