Grand Rapids Reporter

Ferris State University's softball team began their Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play with a split against Wayne State Warriors in Detroit on Sunday. The Bulldogs secured a decisive 9-1 victory in the first game but narrowly missed a comeback, losing 5-4 in the second match. This outcome leaves Ferris State with an overall record of 12-6 for the season.

In the first game, Ferris State scored nine runs from ten hits while restricting Wayne State to one run on three hits. The Bulldogs broke a scoreless tie with one run in the fourth inning and added two more in the fifth before scoring six runs in the seventh inning to seal their win. Ten different players contributed to FSU's ten hits, with Emily Gillard and Emily Killion hitting doubles and Riley Kish achieving a triple. Alexis Kozlowski and Bailey McCalister each drove in two runs.

Catherine O'Donohue pitched for Ferris State throughout the first game, earning her fourth win of the season by allowing only one earned run on three hits, along with three strikeouts and one walk.

The second game saw Wayne State taking an early lead by scoring once in the first inning and four times in the second to establish a 5-0 advantage. The Bulldogs responded with three runs in the third inning but fell short after adding just one more run during their final at-bat in the seventh inning. Wayne State recorded eight hits compared to five from Ferris State.

For FSU, Jadyn Joseph and Kozlowski each had two hits during game two. Kozlowski also drove in three runs, walked twice, hit a home run, and doubled. Joseph tripled and knocked in one run.

Ella Covill-Marter pitched for one inning during which she allowed four earned runs on five hits with two walks. Cecelia Bell then took over pitching duties for five innings, conceding only one earned run on three hits alongside one walk and one strikeout.

Looking ahead, Ferris State will travel to Davenport for a league doubleheader scheduled for Wednesday at 3 p.m., followed by hosting Purdue Northwest for their home opener on Saturday at 2 p.m.