Ferris State Softball Falls To Hillsdale In League Home Twinbill

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball team suffered a pair of Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) home setbacks in a league twinbill against the Hillsdale Chargers on Friday (April 15) at the FSU Softball Field.

A day after sweeping Lake Superior State in its first home action, Ferris State dropped a two-game set versus the Chargers as HC notched a 12-3 five-inning victory in the opener and then came away late for a 3-1 triumph in the finale.

With the two setbacks, FSU is now 23-15 overall and 8-6 in the GLIAC to date this year. Hillsdale improved to 18-6 overall and 13-3 in conference action.

Hillsdale used a quick start in the opener with three runs in the opening inning to take the early lead against FSU. However, the Bulldogs fought back and tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the third before the Chargers exploded for nine runs in the fourth to record the win. Hillsdale produced 11 hits to five for Ferris State.

The Chargers' Sarah Grunert picked up her 10th win of the year by tossing all five innings and allowing only three runs on five hits. She also had four strikeouts and walked two. Four FSU pitchers combined to give up 11 runs on 11 hits with a single K and four walks.

Offensively, leadoff hitter Emily Smith tallied two hits for FSU with Michelle Tononi, Bailey Darwin and Sarah Johnson producing a single hit. Darwin drove in two runs with Alexx Astorga also notching an RBI.

In game two, Hillsdale scored the opening run in the bottom of the third, but FSU answered with a run in the fourth to tie the game back up. However, the Chargers scored twice in the sixth and then held FSU scoreless in the top of the seventh to finish the sweep.

Ferris State's Sam Bates tossed five innings in the circle for the Bulldogs and allowed two runs on six hits with a walk before Megan Vanderwal pitched an inning in relief and gave up a single run on two hits.

Hillsdale's Sarah Klopfer threw seven innings of action and surrendered only a single run on six hits with four strikeouts. HC outhit FSU 8-6 for the game.

Ferris State's Sarah Ferenz and Darwin both totaled two hits while Astorga and Sarah Johnson had a single hit each. Darwin doubled for the Bulldogs and Ferenz recorded the Bulldogs' lone RBI by scoring Darwin in the fourth.

The Bulldogs will hit the road for two league twinbills in Ohio this weekend. FSU first visits Tiffin on Saturday (April 16) with the conference doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. (ET) for game one and 3 p.m. (ET) for game two. Ferris State then heads to Ohio Dominican for GLIAC play on Sunday (April 17) afternoon before returning home for four consecutive conference two-game sets.