Bulldogs Suffer Two GLIAC Setbacks To Saginaw Valley State

Postgame Highlights & Comments 

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball squad dropped a pair of Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) contests against the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals on Thursday (April 7) at the FSU Softball Field, falling 11-3 in six innings in the opener before suffering a 1-0 setback in the finale.

Both games were played in Big Rapids, however the Bulldogs were technically the visiting team for both outings as they were originally slated to be played in University Center, but SVSU's field was unplayable due to weather.

In the opener, Ferris State jumped in front early by scoring the game's opening run in the top of the first. However, the Cardinals answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning and maintained a 4-2 lead going into the fourth. SVSU added a single run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to push the margin to 7-2. After the Bulldogs pulled within 7-3 in the top of the sixth, the Cardinals closed the door by scoring four times in the bottom of the inning to seal the win.

Overall, SVSU had 13 hits in game one to seven for the Bulldogs. Senior Paige Kortz led FSU with two hits at the plate while right fielder Kylie Winkels produced two RBI's and first baseman Evelyn Blood drove in a run.

FSU's Mckenzie Cleland got the start and pitched one inning, allowing four runs on five hits before giving way to Kristie Gray, who tossed four and two-thirds of an inning, giving up six runs on eight hits with four walks.

In game two, Ferris State and Saginaw Valley State battled thru five and a half scoreless innings before the Cardinals produced the game's lone run in the bottom of the sixth. FSU got a runner aboard in the seventh, but could not find the equalizer as the Bulldogs were limited to a single hit.

Blood had FSU's lone hit in the nightcap with the Cardinals managing only four hits off of sophomore Aryn Gallacher, who hurled all six frames for the Bulldogs and struck out four.

SVSU's Julia Mundy earned the win for the Cardinals, pitching the shutout on the strength of nine strikeouts to go with four walks and a single hit allowed in moving to 5-1 on the year.

Ferris State will host Parkside on Saturday (April 9) in a league twin bill beginning at 1 p.m. (ET) for game one and 3 p.m. (ET) for game two at the FSU Softball Field.