# 18 - Laura Crower Class: Junior Hometown: Midland, Mich. High School: Midland Bats/Throws: Right/Right Height: 5-9 Position: First Base

2006: Ranks tied for seventh place in batting average (.324) and is tied for 10th place in home runs (six) among Ferris State's all-time hitting leaders.

2005: Second-team all-GLIAC selection . . . A National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Scholar-Athlete and a GLIAC All-Academic Team pick . . . FSU Dean's Academic Award recipient . . . Started in all but two of 47 games played in at the first-base position . . . Placed second among team batting leaders in average (.349) and home runs (six) while ranking tops in doubles (13) . . . Was third on the squad with 52 base hits and 33 RBIs . . . Her .557 slugging percentage and 83 total bases were both second best among the Bulldogs' regulars . . . Scored a team fourth-best 25 runs for the season . . . Recorded a .976 fielding percentage with a team-high 377 putouts and 22 assists . . . Tied for third on team with 12 multi-hit game outings, including a trio of three-hit contests -- vs. Saginaw Valley State (4/3), at Grand Valley State (4/9), and at Hillsdale (4/30) . . . Totaled seven multiple RBI contests which was fourth highest on the squad . . . Generated at least one base hit in 37 games . . . Batted .545 (12-22) with five RBIs and four extra-base hits during a seven-game stretch (4/23-30) after previously hitting .524 (11-21) with eight RBIs and three extra-base hits in a seven-game span (3/19-4/3) . . . Notched a career-best four RBI versus St. Francis, Ill. (3/19) at the Lewis Tournament with a two-run double and a two-run homer . . . Smacked a third-inning two-run roundtripper in season finale against West Virginia Wesleyan (5/13) at the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region Tourney . . . Went three-for-three with two doubles, two runs scored and a RBI in twinbill's second game at Grand Valley State (4/9) . . . Belted a first-inning two-run home run against Cornerstone (4/19) in what proved to be the winning margin and also accounted for the game winner versus Northwood (5/6) at the GLIAC Tournament with a leadoff solo shot in the fourth inning . . . Hit for a squad second-best .439 average in GLIAC action with 25 hits and 13 RBIs in 18 conference contests.

2004: Appeared in 27 games and started in 16 of those contests . . . Received scholar-athlete recognition by the NFCA . . . Finished seventh on the squad with a .301 batting average . . . Had 14 hits in 55 official plate appearances . . . Knocked in five runs while scoring five more on the season . . . Recorded a four-game hitting streak and batted .429 (6-for-14) during that span, which included back-to-back two-hit efforts vs. St. Xavier, Ill. (3/13) in the Florida Rebel Spring Tourney finale and against St. Joseph's, Ind. (3/27) at the Great Lakes Region Showdown . . . Began her Diamond Dawg career with one hit apiece in her first two outings at Florida Tech (3/7) in twinbill's second game and against Shippensburg (3/8) at Florida Rebel Tourney . . . Belted a run-scoring triple vs. St. Xavier, Ill. . . . Produced a two-RBI single at Mercyhurst (4/17) in nightcap affair . . . Batted .294 in conference play (5-of-17).

High School: Graduated in 2003 from Midland High School . . . Prepped by Michelle Ignatowski and then Jason Gehoski . . . Honored as MHS's Scholar-Athlete and graduated in the top 10 percent of her class . . . Three-time (2001-03) All-Saginaw Valley League selection and was honored as conference's Most Valuable Player during senior year . . . Saw action at third base, first base, shortstop, pitcher and outfield in prep career . . . Batted .422 with 35 base hits, 10 doubles, one triple, 21 RBIs and in 83 at-bats over 32-game period as a senior . . . Registered a career-high .566 slugging percentage, stole 20 bases on as many attempts and scored 33 runs in final prep season . . . Went 3-11 in 85 innings pitched with a 2.55 ERA and 86 strikeouts as a senior . . . Three-time league all-academic pick . . . Twice (2002-03) named team's Most Valuable Player . . . Chosen to the Saginaw News All-Area Team and was an all-district performer three straight seasons (2001-03) . . . Hit .368 (39-for-106) in junior campaign with 11 doubles, two triples, one home run and 28 RBIs in 36 contests . . . Posted a 16-8 pitching mark with a 1.37 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 143 innings during 2002 season. . . As a sophomore in 2001, she batted .398 with 39 hits and 24 RBI in 98 at-bats while compiling a 6-0 record with a 1.45 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 29 innings . . . Also lettered in swimming and volleyball . . . Served one year as the boy's swimming team's manager . . . National Honor Society member . . . Participated four years in marching/concert band and youth group . . . Involved in Big Brothers/Big Sisters local chapter.

Personal: Born 11/19/84 in Saginaw, Mich. . . . Daughter of Mike and Melissa Crower . . . Has an older sister . . . Her father is a maintenance supervisor and mother works at Midland Community Center as an athletics coordinator . . . Swam competitively for 13 years (age 5-18) . . . Hobbies include scrapbooking and ultimate frisbee . . . Nickname is "Crow" . . . FSU Letters: Two . . . Majoring in applied biology.

On Deck With Crower:
Why I chose Ferris State: I liked the coach and the players on the team
My role model is: my mother for her physical, mental and spiritual strength
Something unusual about me is that: I don't like nuts but I love peanut butter
My best non-athletic talent is: writing
I can't live without: my friends and family
The thing I like most about Ferris State Softball: The girls on the team
The motto I live by: smile often, laugh loud and love much
My pregame ritual is: to picture myself hitting the ball to the fence in the left-center gap
What has been the most thrilling sports moment of your life?: My first home run and playing in the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium
My friends tell me I: use big words when I'm tired
My advice to youngsters is: give 110% both on and off the field. Good grades pay off more than athletic skills. Have fun!
When I step on the field I think: get dirty and win it