2003 News
April 14: Softball Notebag
 | Nicki Merchant has belted four home runs in Ferris State's last seven contests. |
Freshman outfielder Jessica Jaroniewski (Millington) has a current personal season-best six-game hitting streak and is hitting .391 (9-23) during that period. She has registered three multiple-hit game efforts in the six-game stretch.
Senior pitcher Amanda Opbroek (Sanford/Sanford-Meridian) moved into second place among FSU's all-time hurlers in strikeouts with 264 total to date. Opbroek surpassed Mary Gnatkowski (1982-85) and Amy Kilbourn (1992-95) with an eight strikeout performance versus Saginaw Valley State (4/11) and is now 217 away from tying Nadine Crowl (1997-00) for the school record. In the Bulldogs' 8-6 opening-game triumph over SVSU, Opbroek notched her 23rd career victory to tie Jennie Kerr (1995-96) for eighth-place honors. She's now seven wins shy of moving into a three-way tie with Gnatkowski and Brandy Coe (1999-00) for sixth place on the all-time charts.
Junior first baseman Nicki Merchant (Wayland) belted four home runs at the Great Lakes Region Showdown (4/12-13) in Battle Creek, Mich. Merchant, who had two career roundtrippers in 86 contests prior to this season, has recorded a team-best eight home runs in 29 contests this spring. She currently ranks in a four-way tie for third place on the school's career list with Patricia Silye (1979-82), Mila Prieur (1998-01) and Jennifer Colvin (1999-02). Merchant also moved into a tie for 16th place with Jody Johnson (1987-90) with 108 career base hits apiece.
Freshman pitcher Kelly Kryzanowicz (Sanford/Sanford-Meridian) picked up her first collegiate victory by tossing a three hitter in a 3-2 victory over Indianapolis at the Great Lakes Region Showdown. Kryzanowicz also struck out five batters and issued no walks in hurling the complete game.
Freshman third baseman Emily McLean (Rogers City) smacked her second career home run with a seventh-inning solo blast versus Wisconsin-Parkside at the Great Lakes Region Showdown (4/12). Her first collegiate roundtripper (solo homer) came at the expense of Dowling (N.Y.) at the Florida Rebel Spring Games (3/15).
In its first 29 contests this season, Ferris is batting .263 (207-786) with 10 home runs and 97 RBIs. A season ago, the Bulldogs batted .231 (171-739) to go with four homers and 62 RBIs during their initial 29 outings.
Sophomore second baseman-shortstop Navreet Gill (Brampton, Ontario/Mayfield Secondary) is batting .282 (20-71) in 26 contests this season. Last spring, she posted a .211 (8-38) average in her first 26 games.
Junior third baseman-catcher Dana Peuler's (Wyoming/Rogers) 16 RBIs in 28 games this season represents a personal career high, eclipsing her previous best of 12 established last season in 44 contests.
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