The Ferris State softball team looks to keep the momentum flowing into the final week of the season, where they will take on the Davenport Panthers and Purdue Northwest Pride.
The Bulldogs are currently riding a five-game winning streak. During the winning streak, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 24 runs to just seven in that span.
On Saturday, April 25, the Bulldogs took down Wisconsin Parkside in two games, with scores of 7-4 and 6-1, before taking down Roosevelt on the following day by scores of 8-0 and 6-1.
Ferris took game one against Roosevelt by a score of 8-0, thanks to junior first baseman Alexis Kozlowski. Kozlowski went 3-4 with three RBIs coming from a first-inning two-run home run and a two-run double in the fifth inning.
Ferris then took game two against Roosevelt thanks to the performance from freshman pitcher Katie Shuboy. Shuboy pitched all seven innings, only allowing five hits, one run, two walks and five strikeouts.
Shuboy spoke about what has led to her success so early on in her career.
“I give a lot of credit for success to my coaches and teammates,” Shuboy said. “Having great defense behind me makes everything a lot easier and gives me more confidence. My coaches have also pushed me this season to get better and reach my full potential.”
The Bulldogs (29-18, 15-7 in GLIAC) will take on the Davenport Panthers (14-31, 10-12 in GLIAC) over four games from Friday to Saturday.
Davenport has struggled this season, sitting in fifth in the GLIAC standings. Since 2021, the Panthers have had only one season with a winning record, going 25-22 in 2022. Since then, they have a win-loss record of 94-169.
Ferris has not played Davenport yet this season, but last season the Bulldogs took both games from Davenport, winning 1-0 and 14-6. All-time, the Panthers have the Bulldogs’ number, holding an all-time record of 23-11 spanning back to 2012.
The Panthers still have a tough offense despite a rough season, with the leader on offense being sophomore catcher Chloe Parker. Parker has a .326 average with a 1.044 OPS, while hitting eight home runs, 23 RBIs, and a .674 slugging percentage.
A pitcher who will look to stifle the Panthers is former Panther junior Cecelia Bell. Transferring from Davenport before the 2024-25 season, but this season, Bell has shown out. Bell has pitched in 121 innings to a 3.41 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP while striking out 72 to 28 walks.
The Bulldogs will then take on the Purdue Northwest Pride (25-19, 11-9 in GLIAC) in a makeup series from April 12 after a weather postponement.
Purdue Northwest comes into the matchup coming off two losses against Saginaw Valley, but winning their prior three games before.
The Pride is bolstered by a tough pitching staff, that staff being led by senior Hallie Charmat. Charmat has pitched in 92 innings this year with a 2.95 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP while striking out 72 batters and 61 walks, which is the third most in the GLIAC.
While the Bulldogs have seen a power breakout this season, with 28 home runs as a team and a .439 slugging percentage, both being the highest marks since 2022.
Head coach Jake Schumann spoke about what has led to this offensive breakout and what he has attributed this to.
“I attribute this to being year three of our quality-at-bat approach,” Schumann said. “Which, in a nutshell, isn’t the ‘I got to get a hit’ mentality. Taking walks and seeing good pitches, then putting a good swing on a drivable pitch, is how power numbers increase. Not to mention a core group of talented hitters that can leave the yard at any time.”
A player who has shown the power breakout is junior outfielder Emma Gillard, who, in her last two seasons, has had just three home runs in total in 101 games. While this season Gillard has eight home runs, 46 RBIs, a .353 average, and a .639 slugging percentage in just 45 games.
The Ferris State Bulldogs softball team will take on the Davenport Panthers, with the first two games coming on Friday, May 1, at 1 p.m. and then at 3 p.m in Big Rapids. Then they will travel south the following day to take on Davenport in Grand Rapids. Then the Bulldogs will take on the Purdue Northwest Pride on Sunday, May 3, in Big Rapids, with the games coming at 1 p.m. and again at 3 p.m.