2006 SOFTBALL NEWS

May 1: Diamond Dawgs Notebag

Freshman shortstop McKenzie West (Jenison) batted .636 in this past week's four-game span with seven hits in 11 at bats. West, who posted a .727 slugging percentage, also scored three runs and had two RBIs during that period.

Senior outfielder Emily McLean's (Rogers City) 69 base hits in 50 games this season not only represents a career high, but is tied for fourth place on Ferris' all-time single-season hits leaders list with Anne Bentley (1998) and Jody Gifford (1999). She needs 12 more hits to tie Jody Gifford's school-record 81 hits set in the 1998 campaign.

Freshman pitcher-outfielder Amanda Jager (Kalamazoo/Comstock) hit for a .340 average (17-50) in 20 April encounters compared to a .292 average (7-24) in 15 March contests. Jager totaled six extra-base hits (three doubles and home runs apiece) with nine RBIs and a .580 slugging percentage in April. She had one double and no RBIs to go with a .333 slugging percentage in March games.

Senior pitcher Carissa Quider (Gladwin/Pinconning) has won her last eight straight decisions this spring after suffering a 4-2 loss to St. Joseph's, Ind. (2/24) at the Southern Illinois-Edwardsville Cougar Classic. Quider sports an 8-0 mark with a 1.99 earned run average in 77.1 innings pitched over her last 18 appearances. She has allowed 25 hits and 22 earned runs while holding the opposition to a .281 batting average.

Senior outfielder Jessica Jaroniewski (Millington) established a personal best in base hits this spring with her 35th of the season against Wayne State (4/28). Her previous season high was 34 hits in 51 contests a season ago. Jaroniewski's 10 RBIs this campaign also marks a career single-season best, bettering her seven RBIs in 39 2003 outings.

Amanda Jager raised her batting average by 48 points (.340 average) in April after hitting .292 in March.

Emily McLean's career-high 18 doubles this campaign represents a FSU single-season record, which was previously held by Anne Bentley (16 doubles in 1998). McLean, the 2005 GLIAC Player of the Year, has accumulated 38 career second-base hits and is fourth on the school's all-time leaders chart. She is five doubles shy from tying Anne Bentley's (1997-00) school-record 43 career output.

Emily McLean batted in a career-high seven runs with four hits (three doubles) in a 14-4 triumph over Wayne State last Friday (April 28) in Big Rapids. McLean, who has a team-leading 10 multiple-RBI game efforts this year, totaled five RBIs with three hits (two home runs) last season (April 3) against Saginaw Valley State. McLean's team-high 20 multi-hit outings this season is one shy of matching her 2005 squad-leading 21 multi-hit game performances.