BIG RAPIDS – Ferris State’s softball team enjoyed one of its best Saturday afternoon’s in recent memory this past weekend. In sweeping visiting Hillsdale, 5-0 and 8-6, head coach Keri Becker’s Bulldogs had plenty to smile about. Ferris secured a regular-season first-place finish in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference standings (tied with Wayne State) and the No. 1 overall seed in the upcoming league tournament at Emerson Park in Midland. Then, on top of all of that, Ferris keeps itself in a solid position to earn a spot in the NCAA Division II Tournament for a second straight season.
“We’re still playing a little streaky right now, but we’ve put ourselves into a good position now that we’re heading into the GLIAC Tournament,” Becker said as her team finished the regular season 27-14 overall and 16-4 in the GLIAC as it prepares to make the trip to Midland for the league tournament. “Even though we’ve still been a little streaky, the good thing about it is we’re finding ways to get wins and we’ve been able to win the tough games we’ve had to win.”
Game two, against the Chargers, was one of those close and tough wins the Bulldogs had to earn. Ferris dug a 3-0 hole for itself, but fought back to take a 5-3 lead. Hillsdale tied the score at 5-5, but Ferris pulled away and then held on for the 8-6 victory to cap the regular season and finished 11-1 at home.
“I’m stoked,” said Ferris junior pitcher Sarah Mueller, who earned the win in game one of the twinbill as she threw seven innings, allowed four hits, no runs and struck out one. Her record now is 13-5 this season. “It’s hard for me to put my finger on exactly one thing (the team has been doing well since Florida), but there are a lot of things that seem to be coming together and we’re playing well, but we still have some work to do.”
In the opener, Mueller’s pitching performance was aided by a 3-for-3 hitting performance with two runs scored and one driven in. Mueller also got some help from senior third baseman Katie Kraai, who added three hits in three trips to the plate with her 13th double of the season and a total of four runs driven in.
In game two, Hillsdale transfer Kayle Stevenson picked up the win in relief as she tossed three innings, allowed five hits, one run (earned), walked two and struck out four to improve to 4-1 on the season. Offensively, Mueller, second baseman Amanda Harrington, catcher Krystle Bailey and Kraai each recorded two hits. Kraai drove in two more runs and shortstop McKenzie West drove in a pair. Earning one RBI apiece were Harrington and outfielder Lynsay Weaver.
Grand Valley State earning a split with league leader Wayne State helped the Bulldogs secure a regular-season first-place tie with the Warriors and possibly the No. 1 overall seed based on tiebreakers. The league tournament begins Friday morning at Emerson Park in Midland.
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