Future Bulldog Player DeLange Showing Her Skills She Will Bring To Ferris

Ferris State University appears bound to get another jewel in Plainfield Central pitcher Cara DeLange, a native of Plainfield, Ill., who has already committed to head coach Keri Becker's program.

Meanwhile, in 6 innings, Ferris State-bound senior pitcher Cara DeLange (19-4) struck out 11 and allowed 6 hits, 2 walks and 3 runs, all unearned. Neuqua Valley (25-10) didn't need the help, but a brief boost arrived in the fateful fourth.

Here is another comment from DeLange near the end of the article published by the Herald-News following the Class 4A Plainfield Central Regional championship game:

Said DeLange: "The seniors wanted to have the best season we could, and we'll always remember this. But there's a lot of talent on this team, and I have high hopes. They are going to surprise people next year."

Ferris is looking forward to having DeLange in the crimson and gold as soon as possible as the state of Illinois has been good to the Bulldogs in recent years (last year, Ferris had a pair of freshman from Illinois perform well in pitcher Dana Bowler and outfielder Morgan Kramerich).

Here is the full story: http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/sports/2331664,4_2_JO29_BILLCOL_S1-100529.article

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.

Bulldogs Get Split Against Northwood In Dramatic Fashion

MIDLAND - Needing to salvage a win in some way, shape or form, Ferris State University reached down deep and escaped Northwood University with a much-needed softball split in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference softball action.

The Bulldogs (24-16 overall, 15-9 GLIAC) dropped a 4-0 decision in game one of the doubleheader, but rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning of game two to take a 7-6 win over the Timberwolves in Midland.

Northwood's game-two heartbreak was a translated into a very important road triumph for the Bulldogs who remain a contender in a tightly-contested battle for the top spot in the GLIAC, for seeding in the league tournament and for NCAA regional rankings.

Game 1: Northwood 4, Ferris State 0

Junior catcher Rachel Mueller had two hits. Senior designated player/pitcher Rhea Flores, junior shortstop Lynsay Weaver and sophomore pinch hitter Lindsey Pettit each had a hit for the Bulldogs in the game-one setback. In spite of five hits, the Bulldogs were not able to push a run across the plate against the Timberwolves. Most of the damage Northwood inflicted came mostly from the top five spots in its lineup. Batting first and second, Rachel Hammer and Jamie Swick each had a hit and an RBI. NU did get some production from other spots in the lineup, but it was the top that did a good deal of the damage. Dana Bowler took the loss for the Bulldogs while Jessica Wojcik picked up the victory for Northwood.

Game 2: Ferris State 7, Northwood 6

Ferris State made created a lot of drama, but it's better to be on the positive side of a dramatic fashion than on the negative side of it. Sophomore third baseman Makenzi Peterson (pictured) tied the score at 6-6 on an RBI single. It's not the most thrilling way to end a game, but a sacrifice fly from Flores scored freshman outfielder Morgan Kramerich to give the Bulldogs a come-from-behind win over the host Timberwolves. Flores had two hits and two RBI, Peterson had two hits and an RBI, senior center fielder Rachel Wade had a hit and an RBI, Mueller had a hit and an RBI and senior second baseman Amanda Harrington had a hit and an RBI.

Ferris Hangs On To Beat Saginaw Valley In Game One, 6-5

UNIVERSITY CENTER - Ferris State University had to take it right down to the end, but emerged victorious over Saginaw Valley State University in game one of a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader.

The Bulldogs scored a 6-5 win over the Cardinals (April 24) as Rhea Flores came on in relief of starter Dana Bowler to shut the door on an SVSU rally in the bottom of the seventh inning.

This series is monumentally important for Ferris which needs wins this weekend (against Saginaw Valley and Wayne State University, two of the top teams in the league, region and nation) to keep alive for the conference title and in contention for the NCAA Tournament (both still very real possibilities).

Morgan Kramerich was 1-for-4 with a run scored (a home run) and two RBI, Flores was 3-for-4 with a run scored and a run driven in, Colleen Roney was 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI and Amanda Harrington was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Rachel Mueller also had two hits for the Bulldogs.

Bulldogs Pick Up Four Important Wins Over Weekend

BIG RAPIDS - In the simplest of terms, Ferris State University needed three to four wins this past weekend to stay in the race for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship ... and a whole bunch of other stuff.

The Bulldogs got the four wins in four tries they needed as they swept Findlay on Saturday and then returned to Michigan to sweep Hillsdale on Sunday. Saturday, Ferris rolled to wins of 10-1 and 5-4 against the Oilers. Sunday, looking to finish off the weekend in an impressive fashion, the Bulldogs showed no signs of a slow down as they picked up victories of 10-2 and 5-1 against the host Chargers.

Head coach Keri Becker's squad found its hitting confidence and the numbers indicate that it was as contagious as ever.

Ferris 10, Findlay 1

In the first game, against Findlay, sophomore Makenzi Peterson was 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run, three runs scored and three runs driven in. Rhea Flores, a senior, also was 3-for-4 at the dish with three runs driven in and a run scored. Sophomore Chelsea Morris also was 2-for-3 as another player with multiple hits in that win. Freshman Dana Bowler was the winning pitcher as she struck out six and improved to 4-4 this season.

Ferris 5, Findlay 4

Morris, Flores and Colleen Roney all were 2-for-3 with a run driven in as Ferris scored twice in the fifth and once in the bottom of the sixth to come from behind and steal a win over the host Oilers. Flores was the winning pitcher as she came on in relief and got the job done in the circle against Findlay.

Ferris 10, Hillsdale 2

Bowler picked up the win as she threw all five innings and struck out five Chargers to earn her fifth win of the campaign. Amanda Harrington, a senior, was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and five runs driven in (she also had a home run). Peterson had a three-run homer for the Bulldogs as she continued to play long ball over the weekend.

Ferris 5, Hillsdale 1

Kayle Stevenson was brilliant pitching against her former team. She threw all seven innings, allowed one hit, one run (unearned) and struck out nine. Morgan Kramerich, a freshman outfielder, was 3-for-3 with a run scored and one driven in. Senior Rachel Wade was 2-for-3 with a run scored and a run driven in while Rachel Mueller, a junior, was 2-for-3 with a home, a run scored and two RBI.

The Bulldogs, now 15-10 overall and 6-3 in the conference, have a big test coming up this week as they host rival Grand Valley State on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. in a GLIAC doubleheader at the FSU Softball Field.

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.

Ferris Drops Two Games To No. 14 Saginaw Valley

Ferris State's Amanda Harrington slides into third base during Wednesday afternoon's game against No. 14 Saginaw Valley State University at the FSU Softball Field in Big Rapids. (Photo/Sandy Gholston)

BIG RAPIDS - The box scores for Wednesday afternoon's Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference softball games show nine hits in two games for Ferris State University against No. 14 Saginaw Valley State University.

But, the Bulldogs of head coach Keri Becker had a hard time stringing together hits to put runs on the scoreboard against the visiting Cardinals and ultimately were swept by scores of 2-0 and 4-1 at the FSU Softball Field in the GLIAC openers for both teams. Throughout the game, Becker encouraged her team to be a little more selective at the plate, to wait on good pitches and then drive them to spots on the field. But, Ferris had a tough time stringing those hits together against Saginaw Valley's pitchers.

In the first game of the afternoon, the Bulldogs were held scoreless on four hits against SVSU pitcher Jade Fulton (7-1 on the season), who was superb with seven strikeouts and only one walk. Accounting for the Ferris hits were freshman left fielder Morgan Kramerich, junior shortstop Lynsay Weaver, sophomore third baseman Makenzi Peterson and senior second baseman Amanda Harrington.

In the circle, senior pitcher Kayle Stevenson took the loss for the Bulldogs as she dropped to 3-5 on the season. Stevenson threw all seven innings, allowed nine hits, two runs (both earned), walked one and struck out one. The run support was not there for Stevenson, who surrendered just the two runs (both of which were scored in the third inning).

In game two, the Bulldogs drew first blood as Rhea Flores picked up an RBI as she grounded out to score Kramerich (who reached on a single up the middle).

The Cardinals, however, responded with two runs in the bottom of the second and two more in the bottom of the fourth to take command of the game.

Freshman pitcher Dana Bowler took the loss for the Bulldogs as her record fell to 3-4 on the season. She threw six innings, allowed six hits, four runs (all earned), two walks, struck out three and was charged with two wild pitches. Kari Bowlby earned the win for SVSU as she improved to 6-0 on the season.

Again, the Bulldogs had trouble mustering run support. Ferris had five hits (three of which were from Kramerich, who had a solid afternoon). Flores and Peterson had the other two hits.

Ferris, now 9-9 on the season, hosts Lake Superior Sate University on Friday in a doubleheader with the first game to begin at 3:30 p.m.

Game one box score
Game two box score

Stevenson Has High Hopes For The Bulldogs During Her Senior Season

BIG RAPIDS - Kayle Stevenson has been on quite a journey since her prep days as a student-athlete at West Ottawa High School in Holland.

A crafty lefty pitcher by trade, Stevenson began her career at Hillsdale College before she transferred to her current softball home: Ferris State University. As is the case with any college athletics career, Stevenson has had her share of ups and downs. But, as she embarks on her final season of college softball, she is hopeful to end what she started on a high note marked by team success for head coach Keri Becker's softball squad in the face of a challenging schedule.

As snow falls outdoors, Stevenson and her teammates continue preparation for their spring softball campaign indoors inside the Ewigleben Sports Complex. Conditions are hardly ideal, but over the years the conditions have in many ways toughened up these Bulldogs and made them particularly hungry to take their game outdoors as weather permits. Even with the early challenges, Stevenson thinks practice has been positive to this point.

"Practice is going well so far," said Stevenson, who was 12-1 last season with a 0.91 earned run average and 60 strikeouts as part of a banner 2009 spring season that witnessed her named second-team All-GLIAC. "We've been indoors which is difficult and we've had a few injuries in the preseason, but players should be healthy and coming back soon so we will be at full strength pretty quickly."

Hopes are running high for this team in 2010.

This year, as a senior, leadership duties fall largely on the shoulders of experienced players like Stevenson - players who understand what it takes to be successful against top-notch Division II opposition. Stevenson expects to show her leadership by example, but she also can be vocal when she needs to and likely will as this season continues for the Bulldogs.

"It is definitely a challenge, but it's an exciting one. Having people that look up to you," said Stevenson, who played her freshman year (2006) at Hillsdale, transferred to Ferris, sat out in 2007 and resumed her playing career in 2008. "You have to be a good role model, work hard and practice hard. You hope that when people see that from you then they will do the same."

By nature, softball clearly is an outdoor sport. But, the necessity for teams from cold-weather regions to begin their seasons indoors is a test of patience, creative practicing and more.

"A little changes when we come inside," said Stevenson, who batted .269 last season with seven hits in 19 games. "We get more back to basics and a lot of repetition with grounders, hitting off tees and making sure everything is intact so we're ready to go when we finally get outdoors."

Ferris is scheduled to begin its season earlier than usual as it heads south for the Alabama-Huntsville Charger Chillout. The tournament is scheduled for Feb. 19-21 in Decatur, Ala. and is hosted by the University of North Alabama (one of the premier Division II programs in the nation). The Bulldogs are scheduled to face tough competition with games against North Alabama and regional rival Indianapolis (to name two).

Expect some fired-up Bulldogs the minute they can play outdoors.

"It will be awesome to get outside, finally," said Stevenson, who ranks 18th among FSU's career pitching leaders in strikeouts (104), 20th in appearances (35) and 21st in wins (15). "It takes a toll on you when you're inside because of this weather. But, we're really excited to go to Alabama and get a few games under our belt and see what we still need to work on and see a glimpse of what we can be this season."

The fall was a perfect opportunity for the veteran Bulldogs to get to know the new teammates a little better. While Ferris does have its share of experience returning, led by its senior class (Stevenson, Amanda Harrington, Rhea Flores and Rachel Wade) it also has a good-sized group of freshmen (Liz Hamming, Lainee Clay, Morgan Kramerich and Dana Bowler).

"Our underclassmen have come a long way since the fall," Stevenson said. "They've stepped into their roles and things are looking good."