After sweeping Grand Valley in two close games, the Ferris State softball team looks to extend their winning streak when they take on the Wayne State Warriors and Saginaw Valley State Cardinals.
The Bulldogs got their rematch against the Lakers, taking them down in game one by a score of 6-5. This was thanks to a 3-4 and three RBI day at the plate from junior outfielder Emma Gillard, who had a solo home run and a two-run single.
While in game two, the Bulldogs bested the Lakers by a score of 7-5, where Gillard had another strong game. She went 2-4 with four RBIs. This included a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning that gave the Bulldogs a 7-4 lead.
Freshman outfielder Ava Gardner had a 2-4 day, including a solo home run herself. Earlier this week, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association named Gardner to the Division II Player of the Year Watch List. Gardner’s hitting .374 on the year with 43 hits, 24 RBI’s, nine doubles and six home runs.
Head coach Jake Schumann spoke about the production Gardner has had in her freshman season.
“Ava [Gardner] had already positioned herself as one of the best hitters in the league,” Schumann said. “She carries herself like an upper-classman and thus has become a team leader. She is enjoying a good year and taking advantage of hitting behind Kozlowski and another freshman that is having a great year in Emma Herremans.”
The Bulldogs (23-16, 9-5 in GLIAC) look to take on the Wayne State Warriors (14-21, 6-9 in GLIAC).
Ferris looks to take advantage of the struggling Warriors pitching staff, as in their last five games the Bulldogs have averaged 8.2 runs per game. The Warriors, in their last five games, have allowed 7.4 runs per game.
Herremans spoke about the team’s offensive breakout during these past games.
“I believe that getting back to our approach at the plate is one of the big reasons to what led to our offensive explosion,” Herremans said. “We plan to work hard at practice this week and dominate this weekend.”
Herremans is one of the players who will look to make a statement against the Warriors’ pitching staff. In 39 games, Herremans has a .324 average, a .419 slugging, six extra base hits, one home run and 20 RBIs while walking 28 times, which is second in the GLIAC and only striking out 13 times.
The Warriors’ pitching staff has a combined 4.62 ERA, a 1.52 WHIP and a .298 average against, while allowing the most home runs in the GLIAC with 25.
Ferris will then travel north to take on the first-place Saginaw Valley State Cardinals (24-11, 13-2 in GLIAC).
The Cardinals come into the game 4-1 in their last five games, with the one loss coming against Wisconsin Parkside by a score of 1-0. In those five games, the Cardinals averaged 4.8 runs per game, while only allowing two runs in those games.
The Bulldogs pitching will look to stifle one of the better offenses in the GLIAC, with one of the standout pitchers for the Bulldogs being junior Cecelia Bell. Bell has started 16 games this year, pitching to a 3.36 ERA, a 1.43 WHIP, while having a team-leading 60 strikeouts.
The Ferris State Bulldogs softball team will travel to Detroit to take on the Wayne State Warriors on April 18, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Before heading north the following day to take on the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals at noon and again at 2 p.m.