Ferris State Drops League Doubleheader To Defending Regional Champion SVSU

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball squad came out on the short end of a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) doubleheader versus defending regional champion Saginaw Valley State on Tuesday (March 24) at the FSU Softball Field.

The Cardinals, who were ranked in the nation's top five earlier this season, took the opening game of the series by a 4-2 score and won the nightcap by a 6-1 count. The Bulldogs were coming off a sweep at home over Wayne State on Sunday in its first GLIAC action of the campaign.

In the opener on Tuesday, SVSU tallied seven hits and limited FSU to only five in the victory. The Cardinals scored twice in the second and once in the third before Ferris State trimmed the mating to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth. However, Saginaw Valley State added another run in the seventh and kept the Bulldogs off the board in their final at-bat.

First baseman Alexis Kozlowski doubled and drove in two runs for the Bulldogs in the decision. FSU also got hits from outfielder Ava Gardner along with shortstop Jayden Marlatt, second baseman Molly Versluis and pitch hitter Kaelinn Jozsa.

In the circle, Katie Shuboy hurled all seven innings for the Bulldogs and allowed four runs on seven hits with eight walks and four strikeouts. SVSU's Aalana Kimble gave up a single earned run on five hits with five K's and two walks in seven innings of work.

In game two, the Cardinals held Ferris State to a single hit while producing six runs on seven hits of their own. SVSU scored twice in the second before FSU cut the margin to 2-1 in the bottom of the frame. The score stood until the Cardinals added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to go with two insurance runs in the seventh.

Marlatt doubled for the lone hit for FSU. Versluis had an RBI.

The Cardinals got a standout performance from Macy Irelan, who gave up only one run on one hit with three walks and two strikeouts in seven innings of action. FSU's Ceceilia Bell and Addison Gillard combined to allow three earned runs on seven hits with five K's and five walks.

The Bulldogs will hit the road to face Purdue Northwest on Saturday (March 28) beginning at 2 p.m. (ET) in Hammond, Ind. FSU then visits West Michigan rival Grand Valley State on Sunday (March 29) for a league twin bill starting at 1 p.m. (ET) in Allendale.