MIDLAND – This was one of the most anticipated games on the first day of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Softball Tournament.
Ferris led early by a score of 5-2, but Saginaw Valley roared back to earn a 9-5 win, Friday, to move the Bulldogs to the brink of elimination in the double-elimination event.
It didn’t look as if it would be that way in the beginning. Ferris could not have looked more impressive in the first inning as it knocked standout pitcher Stacy Kraatz from the game in the initial stanza. The Bulldogs opened with three runs in the top of the first and led 3-1 entering the second inning.
The Bulldogs built their lead to 5-2 entering the bottom of the second. But, as the strike zone seemed to shrink for senior Ferris pitcher Holly Bruntjens, Saginaw Valley’s strong hitters took advantage and ultimately tied the score at 5-5.
The Cardinals remained hot in the bottom of the fifth inning. After holding the Bulldogs scoreless in the top half of the inning, Saginaw Valley added four more runs as cushion to secure an impressive victory in the second round of the GLIAC Tournament.
Analysis: The Bulldogs had some tough breaks, but the bottom line was Ferris did not get the job done as it needed to against the Cardinals to capitalize on that early lead. After Saginaw Valley tied the score, the air seemed to come out of the Bulldogs while the confidence of the Cardinals soared. You have to give credit where credit is due. SVSU’s hitters came to life at the right time while the pitching and defense cooled down the hitters of the Bulldogs.
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