Bulldog Softball Caps Strong Weekend With Sunday Split Against Parkside

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball squad finished off a strong weekend of road action with a split on Sunday (April 4) against the Parkside Rangers in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play.

The Bulldogs dropped the opener played on the campus of Lewis University in Romeoville (Ill.) by a 5-3 score, but bounced back for a decisive 15-5 win in six innings in the finale. With the split, FSU closed its weekend road trip to Illinois with a 3-1 mark.

Sunday's twin bill was shifted from UWP's home field in Wisconsin to Romeoville due to the weather and field conditions.

With the split, FSU is now 21-16 overall this year and now 7-5 in GLIAC play.

Ferris State fell behind in game one as the Rangers scored once in the first and twice in the second. UWP extended the lead to 5-0 with two runs in the bottom of the fourth before the Bulldogs closed the gap. FSU tallied two runs in the fifth and one more in the sixth to pull back within two runs, but could not get any closer. Overall, the Rangers netted eight hits to five for FSU.

Center fielder Emma Gillard tallied two hits and two RBI's for the Bulldogs while right fielder Kennedy Wangler came up with two hits and drove in a run. Wangler had two doubles and Gillard finished with one. FSU also stole four bases.

In the circle, Cecelia Bell pitched all six innings for the Bulldogs and allowed four earned runs on eight hits with five walks and three strikeouts.

In game two, the Bulldogs started strong and took a 4-2 lead after the first frame. FSU added five more runs in the second and built a 9-5 lead in the game. After a pair of scoreless innings, the Bulldogs then closed the door with three runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth while holding UWP off the board. Ferris State finished with 15 hits to only five for the Rangers.

Ferris State got three hits and four RBI's from both catcher Addison Wangler and Emma Herremans while Ella McDonald had three hits, scored three runs and drove in a run for FSU in addition to drawing two walks. Left fielder Ava Gardner produced two hits while Gillard had two runs and an RBI. First baseman Alexis Kozlowski also knocked in two runs.

Gardner doubled twice for the Bulldogs in the game and Herremans had a double while Kozlowski homered for FSU.

The duo of Sally Leask and Addison Gillard combined to allow five runs on five hits with six walks and three strikeouts. Gillard earned the win, tossing four innings with no runs allowed on one hit to go with four walks and three K's.

FSU's scheduled non-league doubleheader versus Lewis on Wednesday (April 8) has been cancelled.

The Bulldogs' next action will be back at home on Saturday, April 11, versus rival Grand Valley State the FSU Softball Field. Ferris State will then host Purdue Northwest on Sunday, April 12. Both twin bills will begin at 1 p.m. (ET).