BIG RAPIDS - The two long-time West Michigan rivals hit the diamond against each other for the first time this season as Ferris State University hosted Grand Valley State University in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference softball doubleheader at the 
FSU Softball Field in Big Rapids on Wednesday.
With the GLIAC softball standings so tight (six teams still feeling they have a shot at winning the whole thing), every game of every doubleheader weighs even more heavily during the final few weeks of the regular season. Wednesday, by the time the dust settled (literally and figuratively), the rivals settled for a split as the Lakers were 1-0 winners in game one before the Bulldogs bounced back for a 2-0 victory in game two to salvage a split in a pair of well-played softball contests.
After starting 2-3 in the GLIAC, the Bulldogs have since improved to 7-4 in league action, but are focused only on the next game.
"We look at each game separately and we try not to look back and we really focus on making sure we're always looking forward," junior outfielder Colleen Roney said Wednesday when asked about the way the team has bounced back since the tough early start to the GLIAC schedule with two losses to nationally-ranked Saginaw Valley State University and one to an underrated Northwood University squad. "Every time we go out to a new game we think that we're on top and we're going to look to get ahead. We want to always make sure we're playing our game."
Ferris' Dana Bowler (5-5) and Grand Valley's Katie Martin (9-4) both pitched gems in a first game that saw the teams combine for just seven hits. The difference in the game was a fourth-inning RBI hit by GVSU catcher Carli Raisutis, who drove in the contest's lone run. Martin allowed four hits and struck out seven Bulldogs. It spoiled a solid pitching effort by Bowler, who threw seven innings, allowed three hits, the one run (earned) and recorded 10 strikeouts.
Offensively, senior center fielder Rachel Wade, sophomore first baseman Chelsea Morris, Roney and junior shortstop Lynsay Weaver each had one hit for the host Bulldogs.
In game two, Ferris scored once in the third inning and one more in the fourth inning for all the run support pitcher senior pitcher Kayle Stevenson needed. Stevenson was superb as she allowed three hits, no runs, walked four and struck out two for her sixth win of the season.
Freshman left fielder Morgan Kramerich batted 3-for-3 at the dish, Wade was 1-for-4 with an RBI and junior catcher Rachel Mueller finished 1-for-2 with a run driven in. In all, the Bulldogs posted two runs on six hits with one error while they held the Lakers of 20th-year head coach Doug Woods scoreless on three hits.
With the split, Ferris now is 16-11 overall and 7-4 in the GLIAC while Grand Valley is 20-12 overall and 8-4 in conference action.
Next up, the Bulldogs host Tiffin University in a doubleheader on April 17 beginning at 1 p.m.
Photo by Sandy Gholston
FSU Softball Field in Big Rapids on Wednesday.With the GLIAC softball standings so tight (six teams still feeling they have a shot at winning the whole thing), every game of every doubleheader weighs even more heavily during the final few weeks of the regular season. Wednesday, by the time the dust settled (literally and figuratively), the rivals settled for a split as the Lakers were 1-0 winners in game one before the Bulldogs bounced back for a 2-0 victory in game two to salvage a split in a pair of well-played softball contests.
After starting 2-3 in the GLIAC, the Bulldogs have since improved to 7-4 in league action, but are focused only on the next game.
"We look at each game separately and we try not to look back and we really focus on making sure we're always looking forward," junior outfielder Colleen Roney said Wednesday when asked about the way the team has bounced back since the tough early start to the GLIAC schedule with two losses to nationally-ranked Saginaw Valley State University and one to an underrated Northwood University squad. "Every time we go out to a new game we think that we're on top and we're going to look to get ahead. We want to always make sure we're playing our game."
Ferris' Dana Bowler (5-5) and Grand Valley's Katie Martin (9-4) both pitched gems in a first game that saw the teams combine for just seven hits. The difference in the game was a fourth-inning RBI hit by GVSU catcher Carli Raisutis, who drove in the contest's lone run. Martin allowed four hits and struck out seven Bulldogs. It spoiled a solid pitching effort by Bowler, who threw seven innings, allowed three hits, the one run (earned) and recorded 10 strikeouts.
Offensively, senior center fielder Rachel Wade, sophomore first baseman Chelsea Morris, Roney and junior shortstop Lynsay Weaver each had one hit for the host Bulldogs.
In game two, Ferris scored once in the third inning and one more in the fourth inning for all the run support pitcher senior pitcher Kayle Stevenson needed. Stevenson was superb as she allowed three hits, no runs, walked four and struck out two for her sixth win of the season.
Freshman left fielder Morgan Kramerich batted 3-for-3 at the dish, Wade was 1-for-4 with an RBI and junior catcher Rachel Mueller finished 1-for-2 with a run driven in. In all, the Bulldogs posted two runs on six hits with one error while they held the Lakers of 20th-year head coach Doug Woods scoreless on three hits.
With the split, Ferris now is 16-11 overall and 7-4 in the GLIAC while Grand Valley is 20-12 overall and 8-4 in conference action.
Next up, the Bulldogs host Tiffin University in a doubleheader on April 17 beginning at 1 p.m.
Photo by Sandy Gholston
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