Ferris State Softball Posts Second Consecutive Sweep In Florida To Move To 5-1 Overall

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball posted its second-straight sweep in as many days as the Bulldogs took two games on the road against Florida Southern on Tuesday (March 1) in Lakeland, Fla.

The Bulldogs improved to 5-1 overall this year to date by topping Florida Southern 6-4 in the opening game of a non-league evening twinbill. FSU then came back to notch the sweep by winning the nightcap by a 5-4 score.

In the opening game, Florida Southern scored first with a single run in the bottom of the first, but FSU responded with two runs in the top half of the second. The Bulldogs eventually scored two runs in each of the second, third and fourth innings to account for their total. The hosts could only manage two runs in the bottom of the second and one more in the fifth as FSU earned the win.

Ferris State outhit Florida Southern 10-2 in game one, but had five errors in the field to two for the hosts.

FSU's Mean Vanderwal earned her first victory of the season as she tossed six innings and struck out four batters while giving up four runs on only two hits. Senior Stacy Thompson pitched in relief to earn the save with a single K and no hits or runs allowed.

Offensively, senior outfielder Alyssa Smith tallied three hits for the Bulldogs and scored a run. Senior Michelle Tononi had two hits as did third baseman Bailey Darwin. Tononi's hits were both doubles while Alexis Hongisto also doubled and Smith tripled for the Bulldogs.

In game two, Florida Southern jumped out to a 4-0 edge with two runs in each of the first two innings, but Ferris State came back to score twice in the fifth and three more times in the seventh to pull out the victory. The hosts outhit FSU 8-5 in the nightcap.

Thompson improved to 3-0 in the circle this season by tossing all seven innings in the FSU victory. She allowed eight hits with two walks. Hannah Loyer took the loss for Florida Southern despite posting 10 strikeouts.

Smith again led FSU with two hits, two RBI's and two runs scored in game two. She also tripled for the Bulldogs. Meanwhile, Alexx Astorga drove in three runs and doubled while posting two hits. Emily Smith had the other Ferris State hit in the victory.

Ferris State, which is playing a total of 22 games in a 16-day span in Florida, will visit Embry-Riddle on Wednesday (March 2) for a two-game set starting at 4 and 6 p.m. (ET), respectively.

After Wednesday's twinbill, FSU then returns to play at The Spring Games in Clermont following a day off on Thursday.