Bulldogs Pick Up Four Important Wins Over Weekend

BIG RAPIDS - In the simplest of terms, Ferris State University needed three to four wins this past weekend to stay in the race for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship ... and a whole bunch of other stuff.

The Bulldogs got the four wins in four tries they needed as they swept Findlay on Saturday and then returned to Michigan to sweep Hillsdale on Sunday. Saturday, Ferris rolled to wins of 10-1 and 5-4 against the Oilers. Sunday, looking to finish off the weekend in an impressive fashion, the Bulldogs showed no signs of a slow down as they picked up victories of 10-2 and 5-1 against the host Chargers.

Head coach Keri Becker's squad found its hitting confidence and the numbers indicate that it was as contagious as ever.

Ferris 10, Findlay 1

In the first game, against Findlay, sophomore Makenzi Peterson was 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run, three runs scored and three runs driven in. Rhea Flores, a senior, also was 3-for-4 at the dish with three runs driven in and a run scored. Sophomore Chelsea Morris also was 2-for-3 as another player with multiple hits in that win. Freshman Dana Bowler was the winning pitcher as she struck out six and improved to 4-4 this season.

Ferris 5, Findlay 4

Morris, Flores and Colleen Roney all were 2-for-3 with a run driven in as Ferris scored twice in the fifth and once in the bottom of the sixth to come from behind and steal a win over the host Oilers. Flores was the winning pitcher as she came on in relief and got the job done in the circle against Findlay.

Ferris 10, Hillsdale 2

Bowler picked up the win as she threw all five innings and struck out five Chargers to earn her fifth win of the campaign. Amanda Harrington, a senior, was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and five runs driven in (she also had a home run). Peterson had a three-run homer for the Bulldogs as she continued to play long ball over the weekend.

Ferris 5, Hillsdale 1

Kayle Stevenson was brilliant pitching against her former team. She threw all seven innings, allowed one hit, one run (unearned) and struck out nine. Morgan Kramerich, a freshman outfielder, was 3-for-3 with a run scored and one driven in. Senior Rachel Wade was 2-for-3 with a run scored and a run driven in while Rachel Mueller, a junior, was 2-for-3 with a home, a run scored and two RBI.

The Bulldogs, now 15-10 overall and 6-3 in the conference, have a big test coming up this week as they host rival Grand Valley State on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. in a GLIAC doubleheader at the FSU Softball Field.