Ferris State Softball Earns GLIAC Split In Wild Friday Afternoon Doubleheader

Game Highlights

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball squad opened up a six-game homestand by earning a split against Saginaw Valley State on Saturday (April 19) in a wild Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) doubleheader at the FSU Softball Field in Big Rapids.

The two teams combined for 49 runs, 65 hits and 10 errors in the two-game series as SVSU rallied for a 12-11 win in game one before the Bulldogs pulled out a 14-12 triumph in the nightcap.

In the opener, the Bulldogs built an 11-4 edge before the Cardinals rallied with three runs in the sixth to pull within four. SVSU then added five more in the seventh and kept FSU off the board in its final at-bat to record the triumph. The Cardinals totaled 16 hits to 14 for Ferris State.

Sophomore second baseman Kodi Ramirez tallied three hits for the Bulldogs in game one while four others had two each, including third baseman Lexi Hongisto, outfielder Kylie Winkels, designated player Madison McLeod and catcher Rebecca Piron. Winkels drove in four runs with both Ramirez and McLeod adding two RBI's each. The Bulldogs got a triple from Ramirez and a double by Piron in the setback.

FSU's Kaitlyn Nugent tossed five innings and allowed seven runs on 11 hits before Connor Proctor hurled two frames and gave up five runs on five hits. They combined for three strikeouts and two walks.

Ferris State came back in game two and battled back after falling behind 4-1 in the first inning. FSU took the lead with five runs in the second and added two more in the third to push the lead to 9-4. After both teams scored twice in the fourth, the Cardinlas scored four times in the fifth and finally tied the game with two more runs in the sixth, but FSU's Paige Kortz had a two-run single to left field in the bottom of the inning as the Bulldogs eventually pulled out the win despite the fact the Cardinals had 22 hits to 13 for FSU.

The Bulldogs got home runs from both Hongisto and senior shortstop Logan Fleming in the victory with Winkels posting a triple. Both Fleming and Kortz doubled. Offensively, Kortz had a team-high four hits while Fleming knocked in five runs and Hongisto plated three.

FSU's Abby Highway earned the win as she tossed all seven innings with a single walk and strikeout.

Ferris State will continue its GLIAC homestand on Saturday (April 20) as the Bulldogs host Wayne State starting with game one at 12 p.m. (ET) at the FSU Softball Field.