Bulldog Softball Falls In Two Close Non-League Games At Davenport

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball team played its first games in the state of Michigan on Tuesday (March 22), but came out on the short end of a pair of close contests in a non-league doubleheader against Davenport at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex near Grand Rapids.

The Bulldogs, who had played all 22 of their previous games to date in Florida, returned to action for the first time since March 12 to play their initial games back in Michigan. FSU fell in game one 7-4 and then suffered a close 10-9 setback in an eight-inning affair in the nightcap.

In the opener, DU jumped out to a 5-1 lead after two innings before the Bulldogs managed to cut the margin to a single run in the third. However, the Panthers responded with two more runs in the fourth and held off FSU to earn the win. Davenport posted 11 hits in the opening game to eight for Ferris State.

DU's Emily Maves hurled all seven innings in the Panther win and notched 10 strikeouts with only two walks. She gave up four runs on eight hits. Meanwhile, FSU's Stacy Thompson took the loss in a single inning of work, giving up three runs on four hits. Megan Jean tossed three innings and allowed four runs on six hits with Megan Vanderwal pitching two scoreless innings with only a single hit allowed.

Shortstop Alexis Hongisto paced FSU at the plate with a team-high three RBI's on a home run. Senior Michelel Tononi and designated player Sarah Johnson both posted two hits and each doubled.

The Panthers picked up right where they left off in game two by scoring six runs in the opening inning. But, FSU battled back and cut the lead to 8-5 after three innings of work. After both teams scored in the fifth, FSU tied the game up with three runs in the sixth before DU finally pulled out the win by scoring in the extra inning. Both teams netted 14 hits apiece.

Mallory Teunissen pitched all eight innings for the Panthers and allowed nine runs on 14 hits with four strikeouts. The Bulldogs again utilized three different pitchers with Megan Hiler throwing a single inning. Both Hannah Leppek and Sam Bates toss three and one-third innings each with both giving up three hits.

FSU's Casey Bias had a game-high four hits in the nightcap while Tononi, Hongisto and Bates all recorded two hits to help the Bulldog cause. Hongisto homered again and tallied four RBI's to go with a double while Bias notched two doubles and a home run for two RBI's. Bates also drove in two runs and Alyssa Smith doubled for FSU.

With the two setbacks, the Bulldogs currently own a 15-9 overall record to date this campaign. DU improved to 20-7 overall with the two wins.

Ferris State opens GLIAC play on the road in Ohio this weekend. The Bulldogs first visit Lake Erie on Friday (March 25) for a league twinbill starting at 3 p.m. (ET) in Painsville, Ohio, before facing Ashland on Saturday (March 26) for two games beginning at noon.