Ferris State Softball Starts One Of Earliest Seasons Ever With Two Setbacks In Alabama

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball team made one of its earliest starts in school history as the Bulldogs opened the 2015 campaign on Friday (Feb. 6) with a pair of contests at the Charger Chillout hosted by the University of Alabama-Huntsville in Huntsville, Ala.

The Bulldogs, who were beginning their 56-game regular-season slate, suffered a 5-0 setback to the host Chargers in the opening contest at the Sportsplex before falling to Union (Tenn.) by a 6-2 count in the nightcap.

In the opening game against nationally 12th-ranked Alabama-Huntsville, the Chargers plated a single run in the opening inning and added two more in both the third and sixth frames while holding FSU scoreless. The Bulldogs were outhit 8-5 for the game and also had six errors in the field in their first official action outside.

Alabama-Huntsville's Taylor Doriety tossed five scoreless innings to earn the victory in the first game of the event. The Chargers also capitalized on a home run from Kaitlyn Bannister, who drove in two runs as did first baseman Tyler Harrison.

On the Ferris State side, the Bulldogs utilized three different pitchers. Senior Cara DeLange tossed two-thirds of an inning and gave up only a single run with three walks while Stacy Thompson pitched five and one-thirds frames, giving up four runs on eight hits with a strikeout. Freshman Sam Bates hurled one hitless inning with a single K.

Offensively, the Bulldogs received a two-hit effort from sophomore shortstop Sarah Johnson. Freshman Kayti Carlson, junior Rachael Gabrielson and sophomore Bailey Darwin all recorded a single hit. FSU left seven runners on base in the contest to 10 for the Chargers.

In the nightcap against another team called the "Bulldogs", Union scored twice in the first frame and the lead stood up until the fifth inning as neither team could put any additional runs across the plate. In the fifth, Union added two additional runs in the top-half of the inning to build a 4-0 lead before FSU responded with its first two runs of the year in the bottom of the frame. However, Union tacked on two more in the sixth while holding FSU scoreless in its final two at-bats.

Sophomore Megan Hiler pitched all seven innings for Ferris State and recorded two strikeouts and two walks with nine hits allowed. Meanwhile, Union's Alex Williams earned the win by giving up only two runs on two hits in four and one-third innings of work. She also had four strikeouts. Kelly Robey pitched in relief and allowed only a single hit and no runs with seven K's in two and two-thirds innings.

Overall, Union outhit FSU by a 9-3 count and three of the four errors in the field were charged to Ferris State. Four different players all had two hits each for the team from Tennessee, including a triple from Williams and a pair of doubles.

Ferris State's three hits in the second game were off the bats of designated hitter Sydney Hasselbach, a sophomore, and Carlson, who totaled two of the three hits for FSU.

Ferris State continues action in the Charger Chillout with two more games on Saturday versus regional opponents St. Joseph's (Ind.) and Southern Indiana. The game against the Pumas opens the day at 2 p.m. (ET) with FSU then facing USI in the second game at 4 p.m. (ET).

Overall, the Bulldogs will play a total of 10 games between now and next Tuesday (Feb. 6-10) in the states of Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky. FSU faces Indianapolis and Miles to wrap-up the Charger Chillout on Sunday and then will play another twinbill against Union on Monday (Feb. 9) in Tennessee before visiting Bellarmine (Ky.) on Tuesday (Feb. 10) to conclude the season-opening trip.