Ohio Dominican Swings Past Ferris State To End Winning Streak

A three-game winning streak came to an end for the Ferris State University softball team in Saturday's (March 26) game two of a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) doubleheader as the Bulldogs committed six errors and were subsequently dealt a 12-5 loss by Ohio Dominican at ODU's Panther Field in Columbus, Ohio.

Ohio Dominican (6-16; 1-3 GLIAC South Division) salvaged a conference twinbill split with Ferris State, which fell to 6-10 overall and 3-1 in GLIAC North Division play on the season.

The Bulldogs wasted little time in taking the lead by producing two runs on a base hit and an ODU error in the bottom of the first inning.  Junior third baseman Makenzi Peterson (Big Rapids), who had two hits in the game, smacked a run-scoring triple to right centerfield for the contest's initial run and then scored on the play as a result of a Panthers' fielding error.

Unfortunately, Ferris State's 2-0 lead was short-lived as Ohio Dominican came back in the top of third with six runs on as many hits to go with a pair of Bulldog errors.  Freshman pitcher Amy Dunleavy (Canton) started for FSU and was tagged for five runs (four earned) on five hits in one inning pitched.  Dunleavy was unsuccessful in getting an out in the second as sophomore Emily Carlson (Wixom/Walled Lake Western) came in and threw six innings in a relief role.  Carlson suffering seven runs (four earned) while notching four strikeouts and two walks. 

The Panthers increased their advantage to 8-2 in the top of the fourth by tallying two more times as a result of designated player Brooke McCartney's two-run double.  Ferris State, which was outhit 14-10 in the game, would get one back in the bottom half of the frame when junior first baseman Chelsea Morris (Jenison) slammed a solo home run to left field off ODU starting hurler Caitlin Chaney (3-2). 

The teams exchanged two runs apiece in the fifth inning.  Ohio Dominican first baseman Kylee Crislip belted a two-run blast over the left centerfield fence to account for the Panthers' two runs while Chelsea Morris' two-base hit down the left field line with two outs generated Ferris' scoring in the stanza.   A two-RBI double by Kylee Crislip in the top of the seventh inning capped the scoring for both teams.

The Bulldogs had two batters with multiple hits, Chelsea Morris (three hits) and Makenzi Peterson (two hits) as the pair combined for five of the squad's 10 base hits.

Ferris State closes out its conference-opening road swing this Sunday (March 27) versus the Ashland Eagles in Ashland, Ohio.  The doubleheader will commence at 12 p.m. (EDT) with the opener followed by game two around 2 p.m. (EDT) at Brookside Park.

Notes: Chelsea Morris has compiled three multi-RBI games this season, which includes a season-best three RBIs in the game-two setback at Ohio Dominican . . .  Morris is hitting at a .533 clip (8-15) during the Bulldogs' four-game conference road trip . . .  Makenzi Peterson's current hitting streak is at eight after posting two hits in the game.  Peterson is batting for a .429 average (12-28) in that eight-game span.