FSU

Ferris State Drops Home Doubleheader Against #6 Grand Valley State

Game Highlights Video

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball squad battled nationally sixth-ranked Grand Valley State at home on Sunday (April 7), but suffered a pair of Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) setbacks at the FSU Softball Field in Big Rapids.

The Lakers captured the matchup of West Michigan rivals as they pulled out a close 3-1 win over the Bulldogs in the opener before taking game two by a 12-4 score in five innings.

Grand Valley State totaled seven hits in the opener to four for the Bulldogs. After scoring the first two runs in the third, the Lakers added one more in the sixth after FSU had cut the margin to a single run by scoring its only run in the fourth.

Senior shortstop Logan Fleming had a pair of hits for the Bulldogs in game one while left fielder Jessica Tucci and first baseman Sawyer Wightman added one each. Designated player Kaitlyn Orme accounted for FSU's only RBI.

GVSU got an impressive performance from standout pitcher Allison Lipovsky, who won her 15th game of the campaign by totaling 11 strikeouts. She gave up only a single run on four hits with two walks in seven innings. Meanwhile, FSU's Connor Proctor also had a solid performance, allowing only three runs on seven hits with three K's in seven full innings of work.

In game two, the Lakers put the first two runs on the board in the second and then added four in the third along with three in both the fourth and fifth innings. FSU scored once in the third and came up with three runs in the fifth, but could got pull any closer as the Lakers garnered the win. GVSU totaled 15 hits in game two compared to five for Ferris State.

The Bulldogs' hits came off the bats of second baseman Kodi Ramirez along with Fleming, senior third baseman Lexi Hongisto, Tucci and Wightman, who knocked in two runs.

Junior pitcher Abby Highway suffered the setback in the circle in the nightcap, giving up seven earned runs on 10 hits with two walks in three and two-thirds innings. Kaitlyn Nugent came on in relief and allowed three runs on five hits with a strikeout in one and one-third frames.

Ferris State will be back in action later this week as FSU begins a six-game road stretch at Wisconsin-Parkside in Kenosha, Wis.