JACKSON, Tenn.- The Union University softball team improved to 5-1 on the season after the double-header sweep of Ferris State (Mich.) University Monday afternoon as Fesmire Field. Ferris State fell to 1-7 on the season after the pair of losses.

In the first game, Union's Kelly Robey broke the school record for strikeouts in a game with 18. The old record of 16 was held by Bethany Barnett in 2008 and Lydie Capogreco in 1998. Robey started on the mound for Union throwing a complete game shutout going seven innings while only allowing two hits.
 
The first game of the afternoon featured dominant pitching from both teams with Union coming out on top 1-0 over Ferris State. Union got things started in the bottom of the first loading the bases on back-to-back singles from Summer Cross and Regan Schrader while Alex Williams reached on an error. Carter Mansolino then came to the plate and lifted a ball to centerfield for a sacrifice fly to score Cross.
  
Summer Cross went 2-for-3 and a run scored for the Bulldogs. Whitney Christian, Schrader and Williams also added hits in the contest.
 
Ferris State was able to take the lead in the second game of the double header after a passed ball scored Alyssa Smith who led off the game with a single.
 
Union answered back in the bottom of the second inning with a solo homerun over left center for Caylee Crews.
 
With the game tied at 1-1 in the third inning, Ferris State scored their last two runs of the game after a walk, single and two Union errors.
 
Down 3-1, Union began their comeback scoring one run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Crews scored off of a single from Madison Tennyson. Then, in the bottom of the fifth, Regan Schrader smashed a one out double that sent Alex Williams to the plate who hit another double to the right center gap that scored Schrader.
 
With the game tied in the bottom of the sixth, Emily Bennett drew a walk and moved on to second base on a fielder's choice. Schrader then drove Bennett in on her second double of the game to give Union the lead 4-3 and the Lady Bulldogs would close out the top of the seventh to secure the sweep.
 
Schrader led Union in the second game going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored and an RBI while Madison Tennyson went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
 
Alex Williams started on the mound for the Lady Bulldogs going 2.2 innings giving up three runs, one earned, on two hits. Williams was relieved by Robey in the third who finished the game going 4.1 innings giving up one hit and striking out nine more batters.
 
In the double header, Robey pitched 11.1 innings striking out 27 batters and only giving up three hits. She also earned both wins on the afternoon.
 
The Lady Bulldogs start conference play on Saturday, February 14^th, at Lee University with a double-header starting a 1:00 p.m.
 
#UNION#