Big Sixth Inning Lifts Host SVSU Over Ferris State In NCAA Tourney Regional Opener

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball team dropped a 4-0 decision to host and top-seeded Saginaw Valley State on Thursday (May 8) in a tightly-contested opener at the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament in University Center.

The Bulldogs, who were making their first NCAA Tourney appearance in 12 years, battled the Cardinals in scoreless fashion thru five and a half-innings of play before SVSU put four runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth to break the deadlock.

Ferris State got its only hit of the game in the top of the seventh from shortstop Bailey McCalister, but it was not enough as the Cardinals prevailed to move into the winner's bracket.

With the setback, the Bulldogs will next face the University of Findlay on Friday (May 9) at 1:30 p.m. (ET) in University Center in an attempt to stay alive in the double-elimination event.

The Cardinals got a stellar performance in the pitching circle from Aalana Kimble, who recorded her 19th win of the year and limited FSU to the line hit from McCalister in the shutout victory. She threw all seven innings and struck out nine Bulldog batters while walking four.

On the opposite side, Ferris State's Cecelia Bell also tossed five innings of shutout ball before the Cardinals struck in the sixth. She finished with four earned runs allowed on five hits to go with six walks and a strikeout in five and two-thirds innings. Ella Covill-Marter threw one-third of an inning in relief and gave up no runs on one hit.

Kimble was also strong at the plate for the Cardinals with three of Saginaw Valley State's six hits to go with two RBI's in the victory as SVSU won its 44th game of the year. The Bulldogs fell to 28-20 overall this year.

The Bulldogs will be seeking their first NCAA Tournament win since 2009 when they hit the field against Findlay on Friday. With a win, FSU would then face the loser of the SVSU-Drury (Mo.) winner's bracket game for a right to advance to the regional final on Saturday (May 10).

All of Ferris State's regional tournament games can be heard live on Sunny 97.3 FM and FerrisStateBulldogs.com along with a live pay-per-view video stream on FloSports.