Ferris State Softball Earns Split With Decisive Game Two Triumph In First Home Action

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball team played its first home contests of the 2015 campaign on Friday (April 3) and came away with an afternoon split against the Lake Erie Storm at the FSU Softball Field in Big Rapids.

The Bulldogs dropped an 8-5 extra-inning decision in the opener as the Storm scored three times in the eighth inning to break the deadlock and earn the win. However, Ferris State repsonded with a decisive 10-3 victory in the nightcap of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) twinbill, which was played under sometimes cloudy and chilly conditions.

In game one, Ferris State took a 3-2 lead after the opening inning as the Bulldogs scored a trio of runs in the bottom half of the frame. Neither team was then able to score over the next three innings before the Storm grabbed a 5-3 advantage in the top half of the fifth.

Ferris State tied the game back up with two runs in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run homer from Sydney Hasselbach. FSU had a chance to pull out the win as the Bulldogs loaded the bases with only one out in the bottom of the seventh before Lake Erie managed to escape the jam. The Storm then scored three runs in the extra inning as they homered and doubled to pull out the triumph.

Lake Erie totaled 12 hits to 10 for FSU in the opener and benefited from three Bulldog errors in the field while receiving a complete-game performance in the circle from senior pitcher Dawn Ondercin. She tossed all eight innings and allowed five runs on 10 hits with five walks and four strikeouts.

For Ferris State, freshman Sam Bates got the start and allowed five runs on six hits in four and one-third innings of work. She had a single K and two walks before giving way to sophomore Megan Hiler, who gave up three runs on six hits in the final three and two-thirds frames. Hiler struck out two and walked none.

Offensively, Bates and third baseman Bailey Darwin each tallied a team-high two hits for the Bulldogs. Darwin doubled twice while Bates did so once to go with Hasselbach's home run. Both Hasselbach and Darwin totaled two RBI's each while Kayti Carlson and Rachael Gabrielson both posted sacrifice hits for the Bulldogs. Gabrielson also had two stolen bases in game one.

Lake Erie was led at the plate in the opener by Elizabeth Karako, who totaled five RBI's on a game-high four hits. She homered once as did Darrian Yanek for the Storm.

Game two featured a different result as the Bulldogs came away in triumphant fashion with a 10-3 win. FSU broke open a 2-2 game with eight runs in a big fourth inning and essentially shut down Lake Erie the rest of the way to record the win.

The Storm struck first in the nightcap with two runs in the bottom of the first before FSU answered with two in the top half of the third. However, the Bulldogs then added eight runs on six hits in the fourth and gave up only a single run the rest of the way en route to the victory.

Both teams came away with 11 hits apiece in game two with FSU hitting a pair of homers. Both Darwin and sophomore Casey Bias homered for the Bulldogs while Darwin and shortstop Sarah Johnson doubled each for FSU.

Bias hit a grand slam as part of the big fourth inning for the Bulldogs and tallied a game-high five RBI's. Darwin had two runs batted in while Hasselbach, Alyssa Smith and Emily Reed each had one for the game. Smith tallied three hits while Johnson, Bias and Darwin each netted two apiece.

Junior Megan Vanderwal hurled the first six innings and picked up her second win of the year by allowing only three runs on nine hits with three strikeouts and three walks. Sophomore Stacy Thompson pitched in relief and shut down the Storm in the seventh as they managed only a pair of hits and no runs in her one inning of work.

Kaylie Lewis suffered the pitching loss for Lake Erie after giving up eight runs on nine hits with three walks and no strikeouts. She pitched three and two-thirds innings before Ondercin came on and allowed two Bulldog runs on two hits with a single walk and strikeout in the final three and one-thirds innings of game two.

Jessacca Gironda paced Lake Erie at the plate in the finale with a triple while Lindsey Valvoda doubled. Both Gironda and Valvoda along with Savannah Karako and Kate-Lynn Urgo had two hits each.

With the split, the Bulldogs remained even in GLIAC play with a 3-3 overall mark to date. Lake Erie is now 1-3 in conference action.

Ferris State continues what is a 16-game homestand by hosting the Ashland Eagles on Saturday (April 4) at the FSU Softball Field. Game one begins at 12 p.m. (ET) with game two to follow at approximately 2 p.m. (ET). A special Easter Egg Hunt will take place prior to game two and is open to all ages.