Bulldog Softball Bows Out Of GLIAC Tourney; Will Await Monday's NCAA Selection Announcement

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball team had its Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Tournament run end on Friday (May 2) as the Bulldogs suffered a pair of close setbacks in day two play at the league event in Rosemont, Ill.

After scoring a decisive 8-1 win over Roosevelt in the tournament opener on Thursday, the Bulldogs game back and suffered a tight 3-1 setback to West Michigan rival and second-seeded Grand Valley State in Friday afternoon's winner's bracket game. Then, in an elimination game, the Bulldogs fell to Parkside 3-0 in Friday's nightcap of the double-elimination conference tournament.

With the two setbacks, Ferris State now holds a 28-19 overall record and will await the official NCAA Division II Tournament selection announcement set for Monday (May 5) morning.

In the opener, Grand Valley State broke a scoreless deadlock with a single run in the bottom of the second and the Lakers then added two insurance runs in the sixth for the triumph. GVSU posted nine hits and limited FSU to only five in the game.

FSU was led at the plate by designated player Abby Meyer, who had two hits and drew a walk. First baseman Alexis Kozlowski notched a hit and drove in a run while catcher Emily Killion doubled and outfielder Ella McDonald singled in the game. Fellow outfielder Emma Gillard had a sacrifice.

The Bulldogs' Cecilia Bell tossed six innings and limited GVSU to two earned runs on nine hits with three strikeouts and no walks in the decision. Nevaeh Ingram earned the victory for Grand Valley State, holding FSU to a single run on five hits with four walks and two K's.

In game two, Parkside's Ellie Curtis tossed a no hitter, pitching the entire seven innings with four strikeouts and one walk. The Rangers answered offensively with a single run in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

Senior third baseman Brooklyn Verbeek tallied the lone walk for Ferris State at the plate.

Bell pitched six innings for Ferris State with one earned run allowed on five hits to go with five strikeouts and a single walk. Ella Covill-Marter threw one inning and gave up a single earned run on two hits with both a walk and a strikeout.

The Bulldogs were ranked sixth in this past week's NCAA D2 Midwest Regional Rankings and the top eight teams will advance to the NCAA Tournament when the official selections are announced on Monday following conference tournament action. The selection show will air at 10 a.m. (ET) at NCAA.com.