Ferris State Softball Notches Sweep Over Parkside To Close Out Regular-Season

Highlights & Postgame

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball team closed out the regular-season in strong fashion as the Bulldogs posted a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) home sweep over visiting Parkside on Sunday (May 1) at the FSU Softball Field.

The Bulldogs received a walk-off home run from senior Paige Kortz in the fifth inning for a 10-1 win in the opener and came up with an 11-5 victory in game two, totaling 21 runs in the final two home contests of the year.

With the two wins, the Bulldogs secured the six seed for next week's GLIAC Tournament and finished the regular-season having won six of their final eight contests, including four of five at home during the weekend homestand.

In the opener, the Bulldogs got off to a fast start with five runs in the first and one more in the second in building a 6-0 lead. FSU then added four runs in the fifth to finish the shortened game, including a three-run shot by Kortz to right field in walk-off fashion for her school single-season record 12th round tripper of the year.

Kortz finished game one with three hits and three runs scored while driving in three runs and drawing a walk. Fellow outfielder Kylie Winkels had two hits for FSU with left fielder Abby Mitchell producing three RBI's. Second baseman Josie Prince also knocked in two runs.

The Bulldogs' 10 total hits in the opener included a double from Mitchell and a triple from Winkels in addition to the home run from Kortz. Prince added a sacrifice fly while Evelyn Blood also had an RBI in addition to the three from Kortz and Winkels along with two by Prince and one from Winkels.

Freshman Kristina Baar got the win in the opener by throwing two innings with a single earned run allowed on three hits in addition to two walks. Junior Kristie Gray tossed three scoreless innings while allowing one hit to go with a strikeout and a walk.

The Bulldogs also started strong in game two by notching six runs in the first and three more in the second for a 9-0 advantage. The Rangers cut the margin down to 9-3 with a pair of runs in the third and made it a 9-5 difference with two more in the sixth, but FSU responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth and shut down UWP in the seventh for the victory, which was its fourth over Parkside in as many tries this season.

Both teams finished the nightcap with 11 hits each as the Bulldogs got two hits from Prince along with designated player Kaitlyn Orme and third baseman Amara Zukowski. Prince, Orme and catcher Ali Magiera all scored twice while Kortz, Orme and Zukowski drove in two runs each. Shortstop Kacey Bouche led FSU with three RBI's.

The Bulldogs got doubles from both Orme and Bouche in game two along with sacrifice flys from Prince and Magiera.

Ferris State utilized three different pitchers in game two with sophomore Aryn Gallacher opening the contest and allowing three runs on seven hits with three walks in three innings. Baar tossed two and two-thirds of an inning and gave up only two runs on four hits with two K's and a two walks. Gray finished the game by tossing one and one-third innings of scoreless action and allowed no hits with two strikeouts and a walk.

The Bulldogs will take part in the GLIAC Tournament starting on Friday (May 6) in Sandusky, Ohio. Complete matchups and times will be announced soon by the league office. Stay tuned to FerrisStateBulldogs.com for additional information.