Ferris State Softball Wraps Up Five-Day Road Swing With Twinbill In Third Different State

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball squad wrapped up a season-opening 10 game road swing to three different states on Tuesday (Feb. 10) as the Bulldogs hit the field against regional foe Bellarmine (Ky.) in a two-game set at Knights Field in Louisville, Ky.

The host Knights held off a late FSU comeback to record a 5-3 victory in the opening game before taking an 11-3 triumph in game two. The two outings marked Ferris State's final two contests of a trip that began with games last Friday and saw FSU play two games each of the last five days.

After two scoreless innings of action, Bellarmine struck first in the opening game with three runs scored in the bottom half of the third inning. FSU cut the margin eventually to two runs in the top of the fifth before the Knights responded with two more in the bottom of the frame to grab a 5-1 lead. Ferris State scored twice in the sixth, but could get no closer as the Knights preserved the win.

In the opening contest, Bellarmine outhit FSU 9-4 for the afternoon and both teams recorded a single error in the field. BU's Alicia Miller picked up the win, giving up three runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and a walk in seven frames.

The Bulldogs utilized three different ptichers in the opener as newcomer Megan Vanderwal tossed two and one-thirds innings with three runs allowed on four hits. She also had two K's and two walks. Senior Cara DeLange tossed two and two-thirds innings while surrendering two runs on four hits as well with a walk and a strikeout. Finally, freshman Sam Bates hurled the last inning and allowed only a single hit to the Knights.

Offensively, the Knights had three players tally two hits or more with Hannah Daunhauer producing her first double of the year. Ferris State's Bates tallied a homer and also had a double as part of a two-hit performance with outfielder Rachel Gabrielson notching a triple. Hallie Utter also had a hit for FSU.

Bellarmine both started and finished strong in game two as the Knights scored three times in the opening inning. They tacked on two more in the third to build a 5-0 lead and produced a run apiece in both the fourth and fifth frames before ending with six in the bottom of the sixth to salt the contest away.

Ferris State was outhit 12-5 in game two and also had four errors in the field as the Knights improved to 4-4 on the year.

The Knights produced three home runs in game two and Kelly Ely had three hits to lead BU at the plate against the Bulldogs. They also received strong pitching from Ally Foster, who allowed only a single hit with eight strikeouts in four scoreless innings of work. Tanner Tevis hurled the final two innings and allowed three runs on four hits to FSU, but she also tallied two hits in the game at the plate and scored twice for the Knights.

On the Ferris State side, Stacy Thompson got the start in the circle and allowed four runs on four hits with a single strikeout. Bates tossed two-thirds of an inning while giving up a single run on one hit before giving way to sopomore Megan Hiler. She gave up six runs on seven hits with a strikeout and two walks in two and one-thirds frames.

First baseman Kayti Carlson had two hits for the Bulldogs in game two while Emily Reed, Casey Bias and Vanderwal all had a hit apiece. Carlson, Utter and Taylor Verbic scored runs in the nightcap.

After playing 10 games in the states of Alabama, Tennesssee and Kentucky over the last five days, the Bulldogs will now return to Big Rapids before heading to Florida over FSU's annual school spring break with 18 more games scheduled from March 6-15 at the National Training Center in Clermont, Fla.

Overall, the Bulldogs expect to play approximately 30 games, weather permitting, before ever playing their first Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) twinbill on March 28 against Walsh in Canton, Ohio. The 56-game schedule this season is believed to be one of the biggest in school history.

Ferris State's home opener will be a two-game league doubleheader against Saginaw Valley State on March 31 beginning at 3 p.m. (ET) at the FSU Softball Field in Big Rapids.