Ferris State Responds For Game Two Victory To Garner Road Split At Northwood

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State Bulldogs battled Northwood to a pair of three-run games on Saturday (April 6) in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play, earning a league softball split in Midland.

The host Timberwolves captured a 3-0 win in game one before the Bulldogs responded with an 8-5 triumph in the nightcap to even their GLIAC mark at 7-7 overall this year.

In the opener, Northwood put together a strong performance, totaling 12 hits and limiting FSU to four. The Timberwolves scored the game's first run in the second and later added two more in the fourth in the shutout win.

Ferris State's four hits came off the bats off second baseman Kodi Ramirez along with centerfielder Paige Kortz, shortstop Logan Fleming and rightfielder Kylie Winkels. FSU's Connor Proctor threw four innings and allowed three runs on nine hits with two walks while Kaitlyn Nugent tossed two scoreless innings with a walk and a strikout while giving up three hits.

NU's Taylor Wright earned the triumph by limiting FSU to four hits and she struck out nine for her fourth win of the year.

The Bulldogs responded in game two as Ferris State exploded for 17 hits in an 8-5 victory. While Northwood totaled 13 hits, the Timberwolves also had three errors. FSU fell behind 3-0, but scored three runs in both the fourth and fifth frames along with one each in the sixth and seventh before holding NU in the seventh for the victory.

Fleming and first baseman Sawyer Wightman each had three hits for the Bulldogs in the win while Kortz and third baseman Lexi Hongisto along with catcher Rebecca Piron and designated player Kaitlyn Orme totaled two each. Ramirez and Wightman each had two RBI's for the Bulldogs.

In the victory, Ramirez homered while Winkels posted a triple. The Bulldogs also got doubles off the sticks off Jessica Tucci, Orme and Piron.

Bulldog junior pitcher Abby Highway garnered the victory by throwing all seven innings, allowing only five runs on 13 hits with a strikeout.

The Bulldogs will return home to host West Michigan rival and nationally-ranked Grand Valley State on Sunday (April 7) at the FSU Softball Field. The twinbill has been pushed up an hour due to forecasted rain later in the day and will now begin at 11 a.m. (ET) for game one with the finale set for approximately 1 p.m. (ET).