The Malone University softball team lost both games at home to Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) opponent Ferris State University (MI) on Sunday afternoon by the final score of 13-6 and 6-1.
The Pioneers will continue conference play at home as they host Division II nationally ranked #24 Ashland University in a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 31 at 3:30 p.m. Â
Game 1 Ferris State jumped on the scoreboard first to take a 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Malone would score off a wild pitch in the bottom of the second inning to make the score 4-1. Â
The Bulldogs would then score off a double to left field to increase their lead to 6-1 in the top of the third inning.
Right fielder
Mikayla Fowler blasted a three-run double to centerfield to bring
Shelby Hulin,
Marionna Cane and
Erika Gerber in, cutting the deficit to 6-4 in the bottom of the third inning. Â
Ferris State scored five runs in the fourth inning, including back-to-back home runs to extend their lead to 11-4 at the top of the fourth. They then went on to score two more runs in the fifth inning to lead 13-4.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Cane registered her first home run of the season, while bringing in
Stephanie Byrne across the plate for a run to make the score 13-6. Neither team would tally a score in the final two innings,making the final score 13-6.
Cane went 2-for-3 at the plate, collected two RBIs and had one homerun, while
Emily Isla went 2-for-4 at the plate. In addition, Fowler tallied three RBIs and a double on the day.
Game 2Ferris State scored five runs in the first five innings to take a 5-0 advantage.
Emily Beck notched her second home run of the season to put Malone on the board, making the score 5-1 in the top of the sixth inning.
The Bulldogs would score off a Malone error in the bottom of the sixth to increase the lead to 6-1.
Malone was unsuccessful scoring in any runs in the top of the seventh inning which gave Ferris State its second win on the day.
Allison Mercado went 2-for-3 at the plate in the finale.
Byrne (1-3) pitched all six innings and recorded six strikeouts on the afternoon.
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