Bulldogs Garner Saturday Split Against Wayne State To Keep Pace In GLIAC Race

Highlights & Postgame 

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball squad kept pace in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) standings heading into the final week of the regular-season as the Bulldogs earned a league split against Wayne State on Saturday (April 20) at the FSU Softball Field.

The Bulldogs notched their second consecutive victory with a 7-2 triumph in the opener before the Warriors responded with a 10-2 victory in six innings in the finale.

Ferris State jumped out in front by scoring the first five runs in the opening contest as FSU put a run on the board in the first and four more in the second. The Warriors cut the margin back to four in the third, however the Bulldogs answered with two in the fifth and allowed only a single run over the final four innings en route to the win. FSU outhit WSU 11-9 for the game.

FSU got doubles from outfielders Paige Kortz and Jessica Tucci in the victory while Madison McLeod netted a team-leading two RBI's. Kortz along with shortstop Logan Fleming, third baseman Lexi Hongisto and catcher Rebecca Piron all drove in a run as well. Kortz, rightfielder Kylie Winkels and first baseman Kaitlyn Orme each totaled two hits.

Ferris State got an impressive performance from Kaitlyn Nugent in the circle as she allowed only two runs on nine hits with a strikeout in going the distance for the win.

In game two, Wayne State's Paige Ameel followed with a big outing of her own as she gave up only two runs on six hits to FSU with six strikeouts and a walk for the win. The Warriors outhit FSU 16-6 and they scored once in the first and three times in the third in building an early edge. FSU responded with two runs in the bottom of the second, but Wayne State scored once in each of its next two at-bats and then followed it up with four in the sixth to put the contest away.

For the Bulldogs, second baseman Kodi Ramirez accounted for FSU's two runs as she totaled two RBI's on a hit in the second. She led the way with two hits in the setback along with Tucci. Both Winkels and Orme also had a hit apiece.

FSU's Abby Highway took the setback after giving up six runs on 11 hits in three and one-third innings. Connor Proctor hurled in relief and surrendered four runs on five hits with two walks.

Ferris State's two wins on the weekend enabled the Bulldogs to move five games in front of Parkside for the final spot in the GLIAC Tournament with six games left in the regular-season and FSU is now also tied with Saginaw Valley State with nine league wins overall. A total of only four games seperate the third thru eighth place teams in the standings.

The Bulldogs will wrap up their six-game homestand on Monday (April 22) as FSU hosts Ashland starting at 2:30 p.m. (ET) for game one at the FSU Softball Field with the finale set for approximately 4:30 p.m. (ET).