Bulldog Softball Raises Support Despite Coming Up Short During Pink Out Games

Postgame Interview & Highlights 

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball program battled for a great cause on Saturday (April 8), but fell short in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) doubleheader to visiting Parkside at the FSU Softball Field.

The Bulldogs held their first "Pink Out" game to help strike out cancer and played in honor of family and friends who have battled the illness while donning special pink jerseys that were auctioned off to raise support for cancer research. FSU President Dr. Bill Pink threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

After sweeping Purdue Northwest at home on Friday afternoon, though, the Bulldogs came up short versus Parkside as the Rangers produced 15 hits in the opener to beat FSU 10-2 in six innings before capping off the twinbill with a 8-2 win in the finale.

In the opener, the Bulldogs trailed only 1-0 heading to the fourth before UWP tallied four runs in both the fourth and fifth frames to build a significant lead. FSU was limited to only two runs in the fourth in the setback, finishing with seven hits overall.

Offensively, second baseman Josie Prince and senior centerfielder Kylie Winkels each had two hits for the Bulldogs while Winkels drove in two runs with a double in the game.

FSU's Mckenzie Cleland started the game and tossed three innings, allowing only a single earned run on three hits with a strikeout in a strong performance. The Bulldogs also utilized Aubrie Lafferty, Catherine O'Donohue and Mauri Viness in the game, combining for a total of three strikeouts and a single walk. UWP's Kily Akey garnered the win, throwing all six innings while allowing only two earned runs with two strikeouts and seven hits.

Parkside picked up right where it left off in game two, scoring six runs in the first to grab the early lead. FSU earned two runs back in the bottom of the first and the two teams were scoreless from that point forward outside of two more runs by the Rangers in the fifth. UWP finished with nine hits to six for the Bulldogs, who also had three errors in the field.

Both O'Donohue and Kaitlyn Orme had two hits each for FSU while Winkels and third baseman Brooklyn Verbeek both drove in a run.

FSU's Aryn Gallacher tossed four and one-thirds innings, giving up eight runs on eight hits with two strikeouts. Senior Kristie Gray pitched one and two-thirds scoreless innings with a strikeout before freshman Sophie Wisniski came on to toss the final inning, giving up a single hit with one strikeout. Parkside's Olivia Masnica allowed only two earned runs on six hits with two walks and a strikeout before Ellie Curtis pitched the final out.

The Bulldogs will open up a six-game road swing on Tuesday (April 11) as FSU visits Ashland for a regional non-conference doubleheader in Ohio. Ferris State then heads to Ohio Dominican on April 12 before resuming GLIAC play at Davenport on April 15. The next home action is on Sunday, April 16, in Big Rapids versus rival Grand Valley State.