WORSLEY, CHARTIER HONORED BY THE GLIAC

Senior Duo Lead The Diamond Dawgs To A Perfect Week

A pair of Ferris State University softball seniors, catcher-designated player Melissa Worsley (Midland) and pitcher Rachel Chartier (Marquette) have been chosen as this week's Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively (Apr. 25) for their performances in helping the Bulldogs go undefeated in last week's six contests.

Worsley batted .435 and totaled a team-high 10 base hits in last week's action while compiling a .696 slugging percentage with three extra-base hits. She recorded a pair of career-high four-hit game efforts versus Cornerstone (Apr. 19) and Ashland (Apr. 23) while notching two hits, including a triple, against Findlay (Apr. 22). Worsley also belted a two-run home run in a twinbill opener versus Ashland and had three RBIs in the encounter. The two-time (2003-04) National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Scholar-Athlete scored three runs apiece on two occasions -- vs. Cornerstone and Ashland. In the field, Worsley registered a 1.000 fielding percentage with 20 putouts and three assists.

This season in 40 games, Worsley is hitting a career season-best .303 with 43 hits in 142 official plate appearances. The 5-2 catcher has eight doubles, two triples, three home runs and 12 RBIs to go with 27 runs scored which are all personal career highs except RBIs. Her 13 multiple-hit games this season presently ranks second best on the team.

Chartier was named the GLIAC's Pitcher of the Week as a result of posting a 3-0 record and a 0.37 earned run average in 19.0 innings last week. The 5-8 right-hander turned in two complete games and allowed just one earned run. She tossed a four-hitter with four strikeouts in a 7-1 first-game triumph over Ashland (Apr. 23) after throwing a five-hitter the previous day (Apr. 22) in the Bulldogs' 7-1 opening-game victory versus Findlay which also included four strikeouts. Chartier, who presently ranks tied for ninth place among Ferris' all-time win leaders with 23 career victories, began the week's play with a season-high seven strikeouts in five innings against Cornerstone (Apr. 19) as she held the Golden Eagles to four hits in a 7-2 non-conference decision.

Rachel Chartier was bestowed with a weekly GLIAC Award for the second time in her career.

The 2004 All-GLIAC Honorable Mention and GLIAC All-Academic selection is 11-8 in the circle this season with a 1.75 earned run average in 23 appearances. Chartier has amassed a career season-best 71 strikeouts and has earned two saves in 128.1 innings pitched this campaign. She has notched a squad-best 16 complete games while holding the opposition to a .248 batting average.

The two join junior outfielder Emily McLean (Rogers City) and junior second baseman Lindsay Riskovitch (Reese) as GLIAC Player of the Week selections this spring. Last season, Worsley was honored as the conference's player of the week (Apr. 12) and Chartier was recognized for the weekly league honor as well (Apr. 19).

Ferris State, which is presently 24-16 overall and 11-5 in the GLIAC, will put its current season-high eight-game winning streak on the line this Friday (April 29) as the Bulldogs go up against the Wayne State University Warriors in conference action at the WSU Softball Field in Detroit, Mich. A 3 p.m. (EDT) starting time is scheduled for the first game of the doubleheader.