Softball Continues GLIAC Tourney Run With 4-2 Triumph Over Wayne State

The Ferris University softball team continued on the winning path at the 2011 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Softball Tournament as the Bulldogs pulled out a 4-2 win against the Wayne State Warriors this Saturday (May 7) in elimination bracket play at Northwood University's Fisher Stadium in Midland, Mich.

Ferris State, which is improved its overall record to 24-22, snapped a 2-2 tie after the first inning with a run apiece in the second and third frames.

Wayne State scored its lone runs of the game in the top of the first inning when Alison Allen homered over to left field for her 13th roundtripper of this season.  After that, Ferris State took command by accounting for the contest's last four runs all within the initial three innings of play.

Junior third baseman Makenzi Peterson (Big Rapids) singled in Ferris State's first run in the bottom of the first inning with a hit to right centerfield which scored sophomore outfielder Morgan Kramerich (Crest Hill, Ill./Lockport), who had leadoff with a single.  The Bulldogs extended their lead to 2-0 when senior outfielder Colleen Roney (Wheaton, Ill./Glen Ellyn Glenbard South) netted an unearned run following a foul out by sophomore designated player Lindsey Pettit (Portland) to WSU third baseman Rebecca Stanley. 

Ferris State proceeded to take a 3-2 advantage in the second as senior catcher Rachel Mueller (Milford/Santa Clarita, Calif. Valencia) smacked her third home run of this season with a leadoff solo shot over the left field fence.  In the bottom of third with two outs, the Bulldogs added an insurance run thanks to Lindsey Pettit's ninth home run of this campaign to right centerfield.

Sophomore pitcher Dana Bowler (Lockport, Ill.) went the distance striking out one while walking two and scattering eight Warriors' hits in running her season mark to 17-10.  Sam Cain (13-15) threw all of WSU's six inning and allowed five hits while giving up three earned runs and fanning four Bulldog hitters. 

Wayne State left eight runners on base while Ferris State stranded two.  Morgan Kramerich, Colleen Roney, Makenzi Peterson, Lindsey Pettit, and Rachel Mueller each generated one of Ferris State's five hits in the conference tourney tilt.

The GLIAC Tournament contest between Ferris State and Wayne State represented the first 2011 meeting as a scheduled regular-season doubleheader was cancelled. 

The Bulldogs will face Ashland late this Saturday afternoon while Wayne State fell to 29-25-1 and was eliminated from conference tournament competition.