Bulldog Softball Completes Conference-Opening Doubleheader Sweep At Lake Erie
A combined six-run output in the final three innings by the Ferris State University softball team in Friday's (March 25) Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) opening doubleheader game-two 7-1 victory against Lake Erie gave the Bulldogs a twinbill sweep at the Kiwanis Recreation Park in Painesville, Ohio.
The Bulldogs, who claimed a 7-2 decision in the opener, are now 5-9 overall this spring and improved to 2-0 in the GLIAC's North Division. Meanwhile, Lake Erie's record dips to 5-9 on the season as the Storm fall to 0-2 in the GLIAC's South Division.
Ferris State was victorious in the nightcap despite being outhit 10-8 by Lake Erie, which stranded 10 runners on base while the Bulldogs left six runners on the basepaths.
A single off the bat of junior third baseman Makenzi Peterson (Big Rapids) scored Rachel Mueller (Milford/Santa Clarita, Calif. Valencia) with the game's first run in the bottom of the third inning after the senior catcher leadoff the frame with a single to left field off starting pitcher Dawn Ondercin.
The rest of the scoring would occur in the final three innings, starting with the fourth as the Bulldogs increased their lead to 3-0 with a two-run outburst. Junior designated player Allison Webber (Frankfort) would account for the game-winning hit with two outs as she lined the ball into right centerfield to score senior shortstop Lynsay Weaver (Bay City/All Saints) and Rachel Mueller, who both reached base on a base on balls.
Ferris State continued to be active offensively as junior first baseman Chelsea Morris (Jenison) stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the fifth and smacked a one-out two-run shot over the left centerfield fence for her second home run of the day. Morris' roundtripper scored senior right fielder Colleen Roney (Wheaton, Ill./Glen Ellyn Glenbard South), who started the scoring with a single to leadoff the frame. Ferris State then followed with back-to-back singles by junior left fielder Stephanie Dusendang (Comstock Park/Rockford) and senior shortstop Lynsay Weaver as Dusendang would score as a result of sophomore second baseman Lainee Clay's (Wheelersburg, Ohio) RBI on a fielder's choice.
Both team exchanged a run apiece in the sixth with Ferris' being unearned after a throwing error by Lake Erie shortstop Lindsey Pennell scored Allison Webber, who reached base on a fielding error by Pennell.
Colleen Roney collected two of Ferris State's eight hits in the contest as seven different batters produced a hit for the Bulldogs.
The win went to freshman pitcher Amy Dunleavy (Canton) as she fanned two and scattered 10 hits in seven innings of work in improving her season mark to 2-5 in the circle. Dawn Ondercin (6-4) started for Lake Erie and threw the first 4.1 innings before yielding to Lindsay Herschberger. Ondercin fanned two and walked three while allowing five hits and runs apiece while Herschberger gave up three hits and two runs in 1.2 innings.
Ferris State will continue its conference-opening road swing this Saturday (March 26) with a doubleheader against Ohio Dominican in Columbus, Ohio. Opening pitch for game one is at 1 p.m. (EDT) while the second game will follow around 3 p.m. (EDT) in what will be the first-ever meetings between the two schools on the diamond.
Notes: Lynsay Weaver is batting .400 (4-10) with four RBIs in the FSU's last five games . . . Makenzi Peterson has a current team-high tying six-game hitting streak and is hitting .450 (9-20) in those six outings . . . Ferris State has a 4-1 record this season when scoring seven runs in a contest . . . Colleen Roney has produced a base hit in 10 of her 14 games this spring, which includes the two-hit performance in game two versus Lake Erie.