Catie Noons (l) and Jordan Ballantyne
Catie Noons (l) and Jordan Ballantyne

Ferris State Uses Long Ball to Overtake Bentley, 5-4

                CLERMONT,  Fla. – A three-run homer by winning pitcher Megan Hiler (St. Joseph, Mich.) and a two-run shot by junior center fielder Alyssa Smith (Chelsea, Mich.) accounted for all of Ferris State University's runs as the Bulldogs rallied for a 5-4 win over Bentley University in non-conference college softball Tuesday morning at the National Training Center.

Bentley outhit Ferris 12-7 with freshmen Jordan Ballantyne (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./Arlington HS) and Catie Noons (North Dighton, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth HS) leading the offense. Ballantyne, who made her first career start, was 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored while Noons had two hits and an RBI in three at bats.

The Falcons, 1-5 overall, jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Junior shortstop Alex Borrelli (Salem, N.H./Central Catholic HS) led off with a double and scored on Ballantyne's single to right. Later in the inning, Ballantyne was driven in by sophomore right fielder Chelsea Vena (Matawan, N.J./Saint John Vianney HS), whose single to center was Bentley's fifth hit of the inning.

Bentley made it 3-0 in the fourth when sophomore center fielder Kelsey Kennedy (Bedford, N.H./Bedford HS) doubled, stole third and scored on a single by senior left fielder Shannon Connor (West Haven, Conn./West Haven HS).

The lead evaporated  in the bottom of the frame when Hiler cleared the right field fence, with sophomore infielders Kayti Carlson (Muskegon, Mich.) and Bailey Darwin (Chelsea, Mich.) scoring in front of her.

Bentley regained the lead in its next at bat as Noons led off with a double, took third on a throwing error and scored on Ballantyne's single to center.

Ferris (3-16) answered immediately with Smith's home run following a lead-off triple by sophomore shortstop Sarah Johnson (Kalamazoo, Mich.).

Bentley will be back in action Thursday with games against Northern State (9 am) and Bridgeport (11 am).