Ferris 7, Grand Valley 0

ALLENDALE - I am following the Ferris State University-Grand Valley State University softball doubleheader on Gametracker, the Bulldogs won the first contest by a score of 7-0 over the Lakers.

The Bulldogs scored once in the first, twice in the third, once in the sixth and three times in the seventh inning to earn the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory on the home diamond of the Lakers in Allendale.

Freshman pitcher Dana Bowler was superb as she threw all seven innings, surrendered just two hits, issued one walk and struck out seven.

Rhea Flores was 2-for-3 with two runs driven in, Lynsay Weaver was 1-for-3 with three runs driven in and two scored on a homer and Rachel Mueller was 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Amanda Harrington was 2-for-2 at the plate. Other Ferris players who recorded hits in the game were Rachel Wade, Morgan Kramerich, Makenzi Peterson and Colleen Roney. In all, Ferris pounded out 10 hits and scored seven runs on Laker pitching.

Ferris is now 25-16 overall and 16-9 in the GLIAC.

Game two is already underway and I will be updating later.

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Northwood 5, Ferris State 0

BIG RAPIDS - Before the first pitch was thrown, on Saturday, the weather forecast and the sky both looked ominous.

Ferris State University and Northwood University started their Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference softball doubleheader a little early, but still was unable to squeeze in a full doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the FSU Softball Field in Big Rapids. The Bulldogs and the Timberwolves battled the rain and finished the first contest, won 5-0 by Northwood. In spite of valiant efforts to rehabilitate the field, the teams were unable to even start the second game (which eventually was called off due to rain).

The Bulldogs again struggled to hit the ball as they managed just three hits against Northwood pitching. Megan Eddy got the win for the Timberwolves as she threw all seven innings, allowed the three hits, walked two and struck out five on Saturday. First baseman Chelsea Morris, third baseman Makenzi Peterson and right fielder Colleen Roney each had a hit for the Bulldogs, who struggled to solve Eddy.

In many ways, the game resembled what happened to the Bulldogs against Saginaw Valley State University. Against Northwood, several players hit the ball very hard, but right at people (to be recorded as outs). Saturday's loss dropped Ferris to 11-10 overall and 2-3 in GLIAC competition as it prepared to go on the road early next week.

For the Bulldogs, Kayle Stevenson took the loss as she dropped to 4-5 on the season. Stevenson pitched seven innings, allowed four hits, five runs (four earned), issued five walks and struck out seven. Northwood got off to a good start in the first inning by drawing two walks, playing good small ball and then getting a big hit (a three-RBI double from third baseman Michelle Boscola) when it was needed to post three runs in the top of the first inning.

Ferris will not have to wait long to face Northwood again. The teams play in a doubleheader on Tuesday in Midland at NU's Fisher Stadium. Game one begins at 3:30 p.m. while the second contest will begin at about 5:30 p.m.

Photo by Sandy Gholston

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Ferris Sweeps Lake Superior State

Ferris State's Lynsay Weaver gets an out at second base during Friday afternoon's home games at the FSU Softball Field against Lake Superior State. (Photo/Sandy Gholston)

BIG RAPIDS - After struggling to string together hits in a pair of losses to 14th-ranked Saginaw Valley State University, Ferris State University had no such troubles on Friday afternoon in softball action against Lake Superior State University.

The Bulldogs pounded out 12 hits in game one and eight more in game two as they rolled to wins of 7-0 and 6-5 over the visiting Lakers in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action at the FSU Softball Field. After struggling to string together hits in the two losses to the Cardinals, on Wednesday, Ferris head coach Keri Becker went to work with her assistant coaches (Lesa Bickley, Dawn Thompson and Jeannine Ravellette) to shake things up a little bit.

"We needed to do something to help them mentally. For most of them it wasn't a mechanical thing," Becker said as her team improved to 11-9 overall and 2-2 in the GLIAC standings. "So, we adjusted our practice that way and we put some pressure on them and still got a lot of reps to get a good feel."

In game one, the eight hits could hardly have been more balanced. Accounting for the eight hits were: Rachel Wade, Morgan Kramerich, Rachel Mueller, Rhea Flores, Chelsea Morris, Makenzi Peterson, Stephanie Dusendang and Amanda Harrington. Mueller had a two-RBI double and also with RBIs were Wade, Peterson, Dusendang and Harrington.

In game two, Ferris continued to hit the ball well. Wade had three hits (including a double) and two RBI, Mueller had a hit, Flores had two hits, Lindsey Pettit had a hit, Peterson had two doubles and an RBI, Harrington had two hits (including a triple) and three RBI, and Colleen Roney had a hit.

"The other thing we worked on was pitch selection," Becker said. "For some of them, that was an issue. Those two things we worked on Thursday and I saw a good result (on Friday) not only with their pitch selection, but also with their confidence."

In game one, Kayle Stevenson was the winning pitcher as she struck out seven and walked one in seven innings to improve to 4-5. In game two, Flores moved to 4-0 as she pitched six innings and struck out five. Dana Bowler came in and earned her second save of the season as she tossed one inning and struck out one.

The Bulldogs are scheduled to host Northwood University on Saturday in a doubleheader that starts at 1 p.m.

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SPRING 2008 BLOG 16: Home field remains an advantage for Ferris

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – A doubleheader between Ferris State and Lake Superior State originally scheduled to take place in Sault Ste. Marie ended up being played in Big Rapids at the FSU Softball Field – advantage Bulldogs.

Ferris put up 13 runs on 14 hits in a 13-0 victory in game one and enjoyed 15 runs on 14 more hits as part of a 15-2 win in game two to sweep the Lakers. The wins improved the Bulldogs to 22-11 overall and13-3 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. One of the rallying cries this season, for the Bulldogs, has been to get the intensity level up and keep that level up. Splitting a pair of doubleheaders in Ohio against Findlay and Ashland reinforced in the minds of the players that need to stay focused and intense.

“I think one of the things we’ve been doing better is we’ve been focusing on getting up and then not letting up whe

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n we have the advantage,” said Ferris freshman outfielder Colleen Roney, who was one of several players to turn in big afternoons as she finished 2-for-4 with a double and two runs batted in, in game one, and 2-for-3 with a double, three runs scored and one run driven in. “I think we did a much better job, as a team, of staying focused in these (conference) games.”

Ferris has done a good job staying focused on its home field as the team owns a record of 10-0 at the FSU Softball Field with sweeps during the week of nationally-ranked Grand Valley State and then Lake Superior State. A big part of that has been a much-improved offense. Saturday, Roney had plenty of offensive help. Junior catcher Krystle Bailey was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, senior third baseman Katie Kraai was 2-for-3 with a double and three runs and sophomore Kayle Stevenson finished with two hits in two trips with a run and two RBI. Sophomore Amanda Harrington was 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI while freshman Lynsay Weaver was 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. McKenzie West, a junior shortstop, was 1-for-2 with a homer.

In game two, Ferris was equally dominant as freshman Brooke Lewis had two hits and three driven in, junior Sarah Mueller had two hits and two RBI and Roney also had two hits.

Pitching-wise, Mueller earned the game-one win as she pitched the first three innings, allowed one hit, one walk and struck out three. In relief, Stevenson tossed the final two innings and allowed two hits, one walk and struck out four. In game two, Stevenson started and earned the win as she threw three innings, allowed one hit and struck out three. In a relief role, Rhea Flores tossed two innings and allowed four hits, two runs (one earned) and struck out a pair.

For the Bulldogs, it was the complete package that led to another sweep.

“Despite who we’re playing, we once again come up with good offensive production, our defense was solid and we got good pitching in the circle,” Ferris head coach Keri Becker said. “We got everything I could ask for (from the team) and I was happy to see that as we continue to prepare for some more tough games to come.”

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SPRING 2008 BLOG 9: Ferris ends on a high note with two wins – now looks ahead

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Ferris State had the look of a team hungry to finish its annual spring softball trip on a high note and that showed Saturday at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla.

A strong finish was important for the team. A 4-2 start turned nightmarish as the Bulldogs fell to three games below .500 at just 5-8 entering their final day of the trip to central Florida. Adversity – as is so often the case – is a true test of character for a team as Ferris discovered on Saturday. It was decision-making time for the Bulldogs who had to decide on what note they wanted their Florida trip to end with games against St. Xavier and New Haven left.

Ferris answered the loud call, however, and played some of its best ball of the week as the team secured wins of 8-4, against St. Xavier, and 8-0, against New Haven to end the trip just an eyelash below the .500 mark at 7-8.

Perhaps, most importantly of all, head coach Keri Becker’s team now has a point of reference to figure out where they want their season to go from here.

Here is an early evaluation of the Bulldogs:

INFIELD: Ferris has a veteran presence on its infield with Amanda Jager, an experienced junior, playing first base; Amanda Harrington, a sophomore, solidifying the team up the middle from second base; McKenzie West, a junior, who returns at shortstop with starting experience; Katie Kraai, a senior, who has become a cornerstone at third over the years; and Krystle Bailey, who has been a rock-solid presence behind the plate as the starting catcher. Becker also has used redshirt freshman Rachel Mueller, at first base, and freshman Lynsay Weaver, at shortstop, to mix things up during portions of the trip.

OUTFIELD: This was the area where the Bulldogs knew they were going to be a little youthful with a lack of experience. Juniors Sarah Mueller and Holly Bruntjens are pitchers who have had some time in the outfield in the past. Another pitcher, Kayle Stevenson, also has been inserted into the outfield, mostly in right, this spring so far. Becker also has mixed true freshmen like Weaver, Colleen Roney, Brooke Lewis as well as redshirt freshman Rachel Wade – among others – in the outfield. There is some potential out there on the grass, for the Bulldogs, but gaining confidence and experience will be a big key for Ferris.

PITCHERS: Ferris has a deep roster of pitchers and all saw action during the week in the circle for Becker. Mueller, Stevenson, Bruntjens, Rhea Flores and Jager all had opportunities to prove themselves as Ferris continues its evaluation for the upcoming Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schedule that begins not long after the return to Michigan. Like the rest of the squad, the pitchers had their highs and lows, but when they were on their game they were awful tough. On Ferris’ final day, which featured games against St. Xavier and New Haven, the Bulldogs enjoyed strong pitching efforts from Mueller and Bruntjens as the offense also came through for a pair of wins.

OFFENSE: Ferris, at times, blinded opponents with flashes of offensive brilliance as it used the long ball, at times, and used the short game, at other times, to find success with run production. One of the early bright spots was the production of the lower half of the order which showed some potential to put a lot of runs on the scoreboard as Bruntjens, Weaver and Roney had their bright spots delivering hits and driving in runs. Jager has been off to a hot start swinging the bat and working her way on base via the walk or as a result of being hit by pitches. Bailey, hitting in the No. 3 spot, had a big final day as she batted 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI against St. Xavier and then 1-for-2 with a run scored and a run driven in against New Haven.

DEFENSE: This is an area of concern for the team, but when the focus was present the Bulldogs were solid behind their pitching staff. When the defense and pitching clicked together, with a little bit of scoring, Ferris proved tough to handle. Over the course of the week, Ferris started to cut down on some of the errors that had plagued them at times.

ANALYSIS: The team is not in its ideal position, with a record of 7-8, but they do now have a point of reference from which to look ahead. Ferris must continue to cut down on errors (mental and physical errors), find ways to string hits together a little better and stay mentally tough and together from start to finish. The pieces are in place – as proven by the team’s preseason No. 25 national ranking and how high the Bulldogs were picked to finish in the GLIAC.

Now, it’s time to just do it.

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SPRING 2008 BLOG 7: Early spring schedule is rich with opportunities for Bulldogs

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Once again, the wire-to-wire race for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference softball championship is shaping up as a hard-fought one.

If nothing else, the annual Rebel Spring Games has been an opportunity for Ferris State University to take an early peek at the competition in the GLIAC this spring. While there is, of course, snow and chilly weather in the upper Midwest that will wreak the usual havoc on the early portion of the season, that has not prevented the usual travel to Florida to sneak in some of those early games prior to the start of the league schedule. After a hot start this spring, Ferris has stumbled through some rough times with losses in six of their last seven games. The latest setbacks have come at the hands of regional rival Wisconsin-Parkside (5-2) and Central Missouri (3-0), both on Friday, at Fortune Road Complex during the Rebel Spring Games.

In spite of the current hard times, Ferris expects to figure prominently in the mix this season for a GLIAC championship – and hopefully more. The Bulldogs are confident the talent on their current 14-player roster will pay dividends by the time everything is said, done and written. Ferris has been working to plug players into different positions with, for example, Amanda Jager now playing regularly at first base along with some mixing and matching in the outfield with Holly Bruntjens, Sarah Mueller, Colleen Roney, Rachel Wade and Lynsay Weaver among others in that group. One of the issues for the Bulldogs will be to maintain focus from start to finish this spring and begin to realize the potential that is clearly evident.

The GLIAC already is looking up for grabs this season as the Bulldogs already have had a chance to watch a number of rival teams they will see upon their return to Michigan. Saginaw Valley State suddenly is nationally ranked and playing with confidence under a first-year head coach. Grand Valley State remains strong with some capable hitters at the top of its lineup while Wayne State and Ashland are likely to figure prominently in the league, region and national pictures. Northwood is going to be a solid as will Gannon and others. The bottom line in the GLIAC remains pretty simple: No easy days no matter who you play in a league with so many talented and well-coached softball teams.

In addition to the league games, the Bulldogs also have to be conscious of their regional foes as well. Already in Florida, the Bulldogs have begun to make their case for regional rankings with some solid efforts against some in-region opponents (including wins over Southern Indiana, St. Joseph’s and Northern Kentucky). But, three of the team’s losses have been to regional opponents (a painfully-frustrating one-run, extra-inning loss to defending NCAA Division II national champion Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, one to Indianapolis and the latest on Friday to Wisconsin-Parkside).

Ferris has its work cut out for it this spring.

So, whether it’s a regional opponent or a conference opponent – anticipate some big-time competition.

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