BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – The recent set of NCAA Division II regional rankings were revealed April 9, and Ferris State University is one of several Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference squads battling for one of those precious top eight spots. However, the April 9 rankings show the Bulldogs – just barely – on the outside looking in at ninth in the poll. Ferris is one spot behind West Virginia Wesleyan for eighth in the Great Lakes region. Those rankings, though, were prior to Ferris sweeping Cornerstone (last Tuesday) and later splitting a pair of doubleheaders in Ohio, against Findlay and Ashland, to take its record to 18-11 overall and 8-3 in the GLIAC.
The other teams ranked above the Bulldogs are as follows: No. 1 Lewis, No. 2 Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, No. 3 Saginaw Valley State, No. 4 Southern Indiana, No. 5 Grand Valley State, No. 6 Wayne State, No. 7 Indianapolis and No. 8 West Virginia Wesleyan. While it’s always interesting to take a look at the regional rankings, it also is still fairly early in the process – a process now complicated in the GLIAC by troublesome inclement weather that has wiped out or postponed a number league and non-league games.
Teams around the Bulldogs, like ninth-ranked Grand Valley, No. 23 Wayne, Saginaw Valley and some others still have many games to make up prior to the start of the annual GLIAC Tournament (May 2-4) at Emerson Park in Midland.
Weather-permitting, the Bulldogs could have some big games ahead this week as Grand Valley is scheduled to come to Big Rapids Wednesday for a league doubleheader scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. All in all, it’s a relatively light week as the Bulldogs have a scheduled doubleheader in Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula against Lake Superior State. Considering recent weather in the eastern U.P., however, those games could be in jeopardy.
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – Ferris State head softball coach Keri Becker didn’t have to think long when asked what has been going so right for her Bulldogs since the team’s return from Florida. Back in Michigan, after more than a week of competition in the Sunshine State in early March, Ferris has hit its stride – particularly offensively. After winning three of four Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference road games over the weekend, sweeping Northwood and splitting with Saginaw Valley State, the Bulldogs looked sharp in a doubleheader against non-conference foe Cornerstone Monday afternoon. Back at the FSU Softball Field, Ferris earned a 5-0 win over the Golden Eagles in the opener and enjoyed a dominating offensive effort to secure the sweep with a 13-2 victory in the nightcap to improve to 16-9 on the season, overall, while remaining 7-1 in the GLIAC’s standings.
The key to Monday’s sweep, and this stretch of 11 wins in 12 games as the big picture, has been the ability to string together hits – especially the big ones.
“Basically, we’ve got offense coming from a lot of different people right now and that has definitely been one of the biggest differences since we got back from Florida,” said Becker, whose team hosts league rival Wayne State in a pair of non-conference games at the FSU Softball Field on Wednesday beginning at 4 p.m. “It was nice to get that offense going and it was nice to get a lot of different people in the games to give (those younger players) some valuable game experience.”
Still, this recent string of success started with offense. Even with the wind blowing in, at the FSU Softball Field, the Bulldogs hit the ball hard time and time again. Redshirt freshman outfielder Rachel Wade had a big first game as she finished with two of Ferris’ eight hits including a double and two runs driven in. Senior third baseman Katie Kraai had a pair of hits while rookie outfielder Brooke Lewis batted 2-for-3 with a run scored as she started in right field.
In game two, Ferris’ offense was even better as the team pushed across 13 runs on 10 hits. Freshman second baseman Lynsay Weaver batted 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one driven in, redshirt freshman first baseman Rachel Mueller was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI, Wade finished 1-for-3 with three RBI, Kraai was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and a run driven in while Lewis hit 1-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBI.
Of significance, for the Bulldogs, was the ability to string together hits against Cornerstone’s pitching staff – something that had previously plagued the team at times in Florida.
“Our hitting has really improved since we got back from Florida and there are a lot more people who are hitting and hitting with confidence,” said Wade as the Bulldogs also had winning pitching performances from Kayle Stevenson (1-1) and Rhea Flores (1-0). “Our hitting has gotten better since Florida and our defense also has improved a lot to go with our pitching.”
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – Ferris State is hopeful its killer instinct is back.
After returning from Florida one game below .500, at 7-8, the Bulldogs could hardly wait to get back on the softball diamond. After having a tournament canceled and a home game canceled – both do to poor weather conditions – Ferris looked toward this past weekend to get started with a pair of Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheaders against Gannon and Mercyhurst.
As important as it was for the Bulldogs to get wins, it also was critical to reestablish their killer instinct. Several times, while in Florida, Ferris struggled to finish some games it felt it should have won. That was not the case this past weekend – in chilly weather conditions in Big Rapids. After giving up the first two runs to Gannon, in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Bulldogs took control. Ferris was dominant through the next three-plus games to beat the Lady Knights 4-2 and 5-0, on Saturday, and the Lakers 5-0 and 10-0, on Sunday.
The performances had a lot of people in crimson and gold smiling.
“The offensive machine is up and running right now … we had some good and key hits in these games and we’re starting to string together a lot of those hits we need to get runs up on the scoreboard,” said Ferris head coach Keri Becker, whose squad is now 11-8 on the season and 4-0 in the GLIAC. “We wanted to get it started and we did that, but we were also able to keep it going and that was one of the best things to see about our offense.”
In the first game, Ferris struck early with three runs right off the bat and added two more for insurance – one apiece in the third and fifth innings. Senior Katie Kraai, batting cleanup, had two hits in two trips to the plate with a home run, three runs driven in and one run scored. Sophomore Amanda Harrington was 2-for-4 with two runs scored as Ferris tallied five runs on six hits.
Junior pitcher Sarah Mueller proved superb with seven innings pitched, four runs allowed and three strikeouts for her fifth win of the young season against three losses.
In game two, the Bulldogs turned the killer instinct up a little more right off the bat with all 10 of their runs scored in the top of the first inning. Mueller had two hits in two trips with two runs scored and three runs driven in. Junior Krystle Bailey had two hits (with two RBI) while freshman Lynsay Weaver had a pair of hits with a pair of runs driven in. Juniors Amanda Jager and Holly Bruntjens, along with Harrington, each had one hit with a run driven.
In the circle, Bruntjens and sophomores Rhea Flores and Kayle Stevenson combined on a one-hitter effort with nine strikeouts. Bruntjens, who pitched only the first inning, earned the win to improve to 6-3 on the season. All of the pitchers, including Mueller, toughened up when they needed to over the weekend in front of a solid defense.
Ferris’ wins were complete team efforts – just what the doctor ordered for the Bulldogs who next are scheduled to see some tougher competition next weekend on the road at Northwood, in Midland, and at Saginaw Valley State, in University Center.
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – Leaving behind ideal weather and softball-playing conditions, in Florida, Ferris State found itself back indoors upon its return to Michigan. The Wayne State Tournament was canceled and bad weather also cost the Bulldogs a home doubleheader against Aquinas, scheduled for Wednesday. Saturday, however, the weather was not perfect, but it was more than good enough to put the softball in play as Ferris welcomed Gannon to the FSU Softball Field to begin Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference competition.
“It’s always nice to be able to get back on the field after you come back from Florida,” said Ferris head softball coach Keri Becker as her team is now 9-8 overall and 2-0 in the GLIAC. “The weather is something you have to deal with. We actually were able to work on a lot of things inside and we accomplished a lot so when we got back on the field, outside, we were able to get back at it.”
To start game one, the Bulldogs showed some signs of some of the troubles that plagued them at times in Florida. Ferris fell into a 2-0 hole as the Lady Knights capitalized on a pair of Bulldog errors to claim an early lead. This time, however, Ferris showed it has learned from some of the lessons of its time in the Sunshine State.
Junior first baseman Amanda Jager had an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning, but that was just the beginning. Sophomore second baseman Amanda Harrington had an RBI double, Sarah Mueller had an RBI double and junior catcher Krystle Bailey had an RBI double to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead – in a heartbeat.
“It was perseverance,” said Becker as she reflected on her team’s come-from-behind 4-2 win in game one that set the stage for a sweep as the Bulldogs took game two 5-0 to begin league play 2-0. “That’s one of the things about this team that’s so good. They’ve persevered through a lot of things and they realize that there’s too much talent and too much potential on this team not to be able to come out of (the early struggles).”
In game two, senior third baseman Katie Kraai finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and two driven in, Jager was 1-for-3 with a run scored and one driven in, Bailey was 1-for-3 with a run scored and one driven in and freshman outfielder Lynsay Weaver also was able to drive in a run.
In the circle, Ferris enjoyed solid pitching performances from game-one junior starter Holly Bruntjens (seven innings, six hits, two runs, two walks and three strikeouts) and game-two junior starter Sarah Mueller (seven innings, two hits allowed, one walk and four strikeouts) to complement a defense that got tougher as the day went on.
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.
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.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Facing Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, the defending NCAA Division II national softball champion is tough enough, but facing the Cougars on a three-game losing streak is even tougher. Still, that was precisely the position the Bulldogs found themselves in as they took the field at Fortune Road Complex in Kissimmee, Fla. as part of their schedule at the Rebel Spring Games. That was just to start a pivotal day of softball, however, as the Bulldogs then had to face the challenge of Southern Indiana. Then, on top of all that, Ferris came face to face with the realization SIUE and USI are regional opponents in games that could – ironically enough as it is still March – loom large at the end of the season when regional bids are awarded in May.
The challenge for the Bulldogs was to rediscover a higher energy level, remember that softball is fun, and clean up those little mistakes that appear large in the middle of a big game. It was evident – fairly early in the morning game against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville – the Bulldogs were closer to playing their brand of softball – well ahead of their performances the day before in a tripleheader that featured a heartbreaking loss to American International followed by decisive losses to C.W. Post and regional rival Indianapolis.
Thursday, the Bulldogs also had to face SIUE’s top pitcher Kaitlin Colosimo – a thrower they and a lot of other opponents have had a tough time with over the years. Colosimo pitched eight innings, allowed 10 hits, four runs (one earned run), walked one and struck out six. She had a solid effort as she did her best to bend – with those 10 hits and four runs allowed – without totally breaking. Colosimo was mostly matched, however, by Ferris’ Sarah Mueller, a junior pitcher, who allowed eight hits and four runs (only one earned) in eight innings with six strikeouts.
Ferris trailed 3-1 entering the seventh inning when a 2-run single by Amanda Jager knotted the score at 3-3 on the scoreboard and ultimately forced extra innings. It was one of those clutch hits the Bulldogs have desperately sought in key situations during several games so far this spring.
In the eighth, with International Tiebreaker rules in effect, SIUE picked up one run on an RBI triple to left field and another on a sacrifice fly to right to grab a 5-3 lead.
Junior Holly Bruntjens singled in a run for the Bulldogs, but that was all the offense Ferris could muster – in the eighth – as SIUE shut the door and held on for the 1-run win.
In the day’s second contest, those key hits finally came around as the Bulldogs grabbed a rare early lead going up 3-0 on Southern Indiana – right off the bat – in the first inning. Third-year catcher Krystle Bailey singled and doubled, senior third baseman Katie Kraai drove in a run on a fielder’s choice and then one more on a single. Junior first baseman Amanda Jager was credited with an RBI on a single.
The loss to USI could be a confidence builder for Ferris as the Bulldogs proved to themselves that they could come through in big games.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – A rare tripleheader for the Ferris State softball team began with promise, in Clermont, Fla., but ended as a nightmare of sorts on Wednesday afternoon in Kissimmee, Fla.
Ferris’ morning began with a trip to the National Training Center for an added game against American International College in Clermont. After beginning with a 3-0 lead, Ferris’ nightmare began as AIC rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning to force some extra softball. After the Bulldogs were held scoreless, in their half of the eighth, with International Tiebreaker rules in effect, American International ended the contest as Kellie Brown blasted a 2-run walk-off homer for a 5-3 victory. The day was only in its infancy, however. Still, a return to Osceola County Softball Complex proved little better for the Bulldogs as the team was blanked 9-0 in five innings, by C.W. Post, before Ferris fell by a 7-1 score to Indianapolis.
Ferris’ 0-3 day dropped the team’s record to 4-5 on the season and left the squad searching for answers to reverse what began as a promising season that included a national ranking. That ranking is gone, but the Bulldogs still have a whole lot of softball left to be played – in Florida and beyond. The quest for answers continues for a talent-rich Ferris team that ended Wednesday under the lights learning about how fun softball can be from a group of young girls playing on Thacker Field near Osceola High School in Kissimmee – the place where Ferris’ softball trip started on Friday.
A long day of softball ended with the Bulldogs attempting to reconnect with their roots – to learn how fun a game softball can be for young girls they spent time into the darkness under the lights after a three-loss day of college softball action.
There was a lesson to be learned. Sure, college softball is in many ways a high-stakes business for schools, coaches, players and parents. But, in a lot of other ways, it’s still that once-innocent and fun game so many people fall in love with at a young age. Wednesday night was about rediscovering the roots of what it means to participate in sports and appreciating the privilege of what it means to compete as a college softball player. Sure, it’s a business of sorts with money, scholarships and pressure. But, as head coach Keri Becker attempted to show as she put her kids in the company of a much younger group of girls, the high-pressure world of college softball does not have to be a fun-free activity.
Wednesday’s opening loss to American International spoiled a solid pitching effort by Amanda Jager, who threw eight innings, allowed five hits, five runs (four earned), walked two and struck out three. The big hit of the contest was Brown’s 2-run blast that ended the game in the eighth. It also spoiled her day at the plate as she had two hits in three trips as did Sarah Mueller, who also scored two runs scored, batted in two runs, hit a triple and belted a home run.
After that, however, Ferris’ offense dried up in a major way. Amanda Harrington had the lone hit in the Bulldogs 9-0 loss to C.W. Post while Katie Kraai and Harrington had the only two hits in the 7-1 loss to Indianapolis to wrap up the day.
A tripleheader that began with promise ended in heartache.
But, the Bulldogs can learn from the young girls they had a chance to spend time with following their day of disappointment on the diamond: Softball is highly competitive, but it’s also a game – a game that can still be fun.
