CROWER AND KRAAI NAMED TO NCAA REGIONAL ALL-TOURNEY TEAM
Pair Help Lead Bulldogs To A Third-Place Great Lakes Regional Finish
Senior first baseman Laura Crower (Midland) and junior third baseman Katie Kraai (Zeeland) of the Ferris State University softball team, were named to the 2007 NCAA Division II Softball Great Lakes Regional All-Tournament Team for their respective performances at last week's (May 10-13) regional tourney held at the Lewis University Softball Field in Romeoville, Ill.
The two were among 13 individuals to garner Great Lakes Region All-Tournament Team recognition. Southern Illinois-Edwardsville pitcher Kaitlin Colosimo was tabbed as the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
Crower batted for a .417 average with five base hits in 12 at bats during the Bulldogs' four tourney contests. She recorded two home runs with six RBIs and three runs scored while registering a .917 slugging percentage. In the field, Crower had a .978 fielding percentage with 43 putouts and one assist.
The FSU first baseman started off tourney play by collecting three hits in as many at bats in Ferris' 6-1 decision over Gannon (May 10). She belted a three-run home run over the left field fence in the fifth inning while tallying 12 putouts. Crower, who tallied a team-high tying two multiple-RBI games at the tournament, accomplished the same feat in the Bulldogs' 12-4 six-inning triumph against Missouri-Rolla (May 11) as she smacked a first-inning three-RBI homer.
Kraai led sixth-seeded Ferris State in hitting with a .538 average as a result of notching seven base hits in 13 at bats. She scored a squad-best five runs while accumulating one double, one home run, and a team-high tying six RBI. Kraai, who was also named to the 2005 NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional All-Tourney Team, led the Bulldogs with a .846 slugging percentage and a .571 on base percentage. She finished the tourney with a .905 fielding percentage, which included three putouts and 16 assists.
Kraai produced a team-best tying two multiple-hit game performances, which featured a three-hit effort versus Southern Illinois-Ewardsville (May 12). In the contest, she generated two singles and a double to go with a run scored and a RBI. Kraai had at least one hit in all four of FSU's tournament outings and posted two hits (singles) in four official plate appearances with two runs scored and a RBI against Gannon (May 10). In the Bulldogs' final game versus Grand Valley State (May 13), Kraai drove in three runs on a third-inning home run beyond the center field fence.
Ferris State, which was making its fifth-ever NCAA-II Regional appearance and its second in three years, finished third place at the 2007 NCAA-II Great Lakes Regionals with a 2-2 ledger. The Bulldogs, under 10th-year head coach Keri Becker, conclude the 2007 campaign at 31-17 overall. The 31 victories this spring tied for the fifth-most single-season victories in the program's history, equalling the 2005 team's wins total (31-20 overall).
Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, the tourney's number one seed, was crowned the 2007 Great Lakes Region Champion after defeating Grand Valley State, 10-1 in five innings, in Sunday's (May 13) championship game.
2007 NCAA-II Great Lakes Region All-Tournament Team
Pitcher -- Kaitlin Colosimo, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
Pitcher -- Lori Andjelich, Grand Valley State
Catcher -- Libby Lenart, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
Infielder -- Laura Crower, Ferris State
Infielder -- Kristin Moleski, Grand Valley State
Infielder -- Kaleigh Rousey, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
Infielder -- Katie Kraai, Ferris State
Outfielder -- Courtney Mall, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
Outfielder -- Lisa Preuss, Grand Valley State
Outfielder -- Ashley Winter, Missouri-Rolla
Designated Player -- Elizabeth Smith, Grand Valley State
At-Large -- Jodie Ohlau, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
At-Large -- Sarah Holland, Grand Valley State
Most Valuable Player -- Kaitlin Colosimo, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
|
