Two Homers Lift GVSU Past FSU In Game One

Big Rapids, Mich. - A pair of home runs keyed Grand Valley State's 11-4 win over Ferris State in game one of a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) softball twinbill on Friday afternoon (April 22) at the FSU Varsity Softball Field.

The visiting Lakers fought back from a 3-2 deficit and tallied 12 hits in the opening game victory while improving to 33-7 overall and 19-4 in the GLIAC under cool and cloudy conditions.

Ferris State jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one inning as junior third baseman Makenzi Peterson tripled and scored on an error by the catcher.  Her shot drove in sophomore outfielder Morgan Kramerich to give FSU the early advantage.

The Lakers cut the deficit to a single run in the top of the second on a single up the middle from Carli Raisutis, which drove in Briauna Taylor. GVSU then tied up the contest in the third as Katie Martin doubled to right center and scored on a Bulldog error.

However, Ferris reclaimed a 3-2 advantage in the bottom of the inning as Peterson scored once more after drawing a walk and advancing around the horn on singles from junior Stephanie Dusendang along with senior Lynsay Weaver.

Grand Valley State, though, tallied three runs in the fourth to take the lead for good as Emily Jones started the inning with a double. Raisutis was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat and Brittany Taylor then homered to drive in all three runs.

The Lakers tacked on a single run in both the fifth and sixth innings before FSU cut the lead to four runs in the bottom of the sixth as Kramerich scored following a Laker error.

GVSU answered once more with four runs in the seventh, including another homer to left center from Brittany Taylor, and shut down the Bulldogs in their final at-bat to account for the final margin.

Ferris State dropped to 15-18 overall and 12-9 in conference play with the game one setback.

Andrea Nicholson went the distance for GVSU in the circle and improved to 16-1 on the year.  She allowed nine Bulldog hits and four runs with both five strikeouts and walks.  Meanwhile, FSU sophomore Dana Bowler dropped to 10-8 overall by giving up 12 hits and 11 runs.  She walked three and also struck out three.

The Bulldogs were led at the plate by Kramerich, Dusendang and junior Chelsea Morris, who all had two hits apiece.  Peterson, Weaver and sophomore Lainee Clay all produced a single hit apiece.

GVSU's Brittany Taylor and Jones both had a game-high three hits apiece.  Taylor's two homers increased her total to five on the season.  Martin notched her 16th double while Jones had her second two-bagger in the victory.