Bulldog softball claimed victory in four of their six games against the Wayne State Warriors on Tuesday, April 9, the Davenport Panthers on Saturday, April 13 and the Grand Valley State Lakers on Sunday, April 14.
Ferris (21-20, 9-7 in GLIAC) swept the Warriors (14-23, 6-10 in GLIAC) with scores of 7-5 and 10-2 before splitting with the Panthers with a 7-0 win and a 4-1 loss at home. The Bulldogs finished their third doubleheader of the week with a split, which included a 2-1 loss and 1-0 win, against the Lakers in Allendale.
In game one of the doubleheader, the Bulldogs bested the Warriors.
The Bulldogs got to the Warriors early in the bottom of the first with no outs, where sophomore catcher Emily Killion slapped a two-RBI single and junior outfielder Maddie Gkekas scored freshman infielder Alexis Kozlowski on a sacrifice fly to left field.
In the bottom of the second, Ferris kept the runs coming thanks to Kozlowski, who punched a two-RBI single to right field, scoring sophomore outfielder Jadyn Joseph and sophomore designated player Abby Meyer.
Freshman starting pitcher Ashley Webb pitched 3.2 innings, allowing six hits, three earned runs, walking one and striking out three.
Webb was relieved in the top of the fourth by freshman Rylie Haist, who allowed one earned run and struck one out. Haist was replaced by sophomore Izabella Regner, who picked up her third season save to close the contest.
In the second outing, the Bulldogs completed the sweep with a five-inning mercy rule win.
Senior pitcher Aryn Gallacher got the start, pitched five innings and allowed seven hits while striking out four in a complete game.
Gallacher recounted her approach when working out of tough spots in the game.
“When you get in those moments it’s important to control the controllable and focus on one pitch at a time,” Gallacher said. “I just take a deep breath each time, calmed my mind, and worked on what I knew how to do, trusting my defense has my back.”
Kozlowski started scoring for the Bulldogs when she hit a two-RBI double, followed up by another two-RBI double, this time by outfielder Maddie Gkekas. In the bottom of the second, Kozlowski came up big again, hitting an RBI triple which scored Joseph. Designated player Emily Killion stole second, which Kozlowski took advantage of and scored from third on the steal. Junior infielder Brooklyn Verbeek kept the offense rolling with an RBI single, which scored Killion.
The Bulldogs kept piling on the runs in the bottom of the fourth, as freshman Keelin Wheaton hit a pinch-hit 2-RBI triple. To follow it up, Joseph scorched an RBI single to right field to put the game on ice for the Bulldogs.
Coach Jake Schumann spoke about the outlook for the season after the game.
“We are two games out of first place halfway through the conference schedule, so that’s a pretty good spot to be in, but our conversation with our team is we just got to take care of business every day.”
In their second doubleheader of the week, the Bulldogs collected a third-straight victory with a win against the Panthers (13-19 overall, 5-5 in GLIAC).
Freshman infielder Emma Gillard roped a two-RBI single up the middle, scoring Joseph and freshman Ella McDonald in the first. The Bulldogs kept the runs coming in the first inning, with Gkekas hitting an RBI single to score Gillard, followed by another RBI single, but this time coming from junior infielder Brooklyn Verbeek. In the bottom of the second, Kozlowski roped an RBI double into deep left-center field, which scored outfielder Ella McDonald. In the bottom of the fourth, Joseph kept up her impressive day 4-for-4 day at the plate scorching an RBI triple to center field which scored McDonald. This was followed by a sacrifice fly by catcher Killion.
Joseph credited her approach to her great day at the plate.
“I have been trying to see the ball down, and not swinging at anything over my head and try to stay ahead in the count,” Joseph said.
Gallacher got the start on the day, pitching six innings where she allowed two hits and struck out six before being relieved in the seventh by sophomore Sophie Wisniski, as she collected her second save on the season.
In game two of the doubleheader, the Bulldogs had their win streak snapped.
Sophomore pitcher Izabella Regner started on the mound for Ferris, where she struck out one through four innings. Regner was relieved in the fifth inning by Haist, who threw two innings. Haist was pulled for Webb in the seventh, who threw one inning and struck out one.
The Bulldogs’ four hits came from Joseph, Gillard, Killion and Gkekas. The lone run also came from Gkekas, who hit an RBI double to left field in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Bulldogs finished their week with a heated rivalry matchup against the Lakers (23-12, 6-6 in GLIAC).
Gallacher got the start, once again, for the Bulldogs and put together six innings in the outing. Ferris’ five hits came from McDonald, Joseph and Verbeek.
In game two of the doubleheader, the Bulldogs served their rivals their own one-run loss.
Webb threw a complete game with nine hits allowed, no runs and one walk. Killion went 2-for-2, while Gillard, Wheaton and Gkekas all picked up a hit.
The Bulldogs next face off in a doubleheader against the Northwoods Timberwolves on Wednesday, April 17 in Midland at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., before coming back home for another set of games against the Wisconsin Parkside Rangers on Saturday, April 20 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
CE – AM