FSU Softball At A Glance: The Ferris State University softball team will be making its fifth NCAA Division II Regional appearance this week (May 10-14) as the Bulldogs compete in the 2007 NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Softball Tournament at Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill. Ferris State is seeded sixth in the eight-team tourney field and will face third-seed Gannon (Pa.) this Thursday (May 10) in its regional opener at 2 p.m. (CT). The double-elimination tourney is being held at the Lewis Softball Field.

2007 NCAA-II Great Lakes Region Tournament Field: The eight teams consist of #1 seed Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (41-8 overall), #2 seed Lewis (34-12), #3 seed Gannon (37-13), #4 Grand Valley State (32-16), #5 Wayne State (39-15), #6 Ferris State (29-15), #7 Missouri-Rolla (28-16), and #8 Shepherd (31-17).

The 2007 Season: Ferris State is currently 29-15 overall and finished with a second-place 14-6 mark in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Regular-Season standings.

Last Week: Ferris posted a 1-2 record at the double-elimination 2007 GLIAC Softball Tournament in Midland, Mich. The Bulldogs notched a 1-0 victory over Mercyhurst last Friday (May 4) in their conference tourney opener before suffering a 1-0 loss to Gannon (May 4). FSU dropped a 2-1 decision to Saginaw Valley State in its lone Saturday (May 5) appearance.

The Coach: Ferris State – Keri Becker (Saginaw Valley State, 1995), 10th season, 311-207-1 (.600) – (17-6 vs. Gannon, 22-23 vs. Wayne State, 9-15 vs. Grand Valley State, 4-8 vs. Lewis, 1-5 vs. Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, 0-0 vs. Missouri-Rolla, 0-0 vs. Shepherd). Becker, the all-time winningest coach in Ferris State Softball history, has guided the Bulldogs to consecutive (1998-99) NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament appearances. The 1998 squad placed third nationally while the 1999 team set a school record for single-season victories (46 total). Becker has twice been recognized as the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's (GLIAC) Coach of the Year (1997 and 2003).

35th Season – The 2007 campaign represents the 35th season of varsity competition for the Ferris State Softball program. The Bulldogs are 668-614-3 overall (.521) since the program’s inception in 1973. During that period, FSU has compiled 15 20-plus win seasons, including three consecutive (1997-99) 40 or more victory campaigns.

In The NCAA Regionals: Ferris State will be making its fifth NCAA Division II Regional appearance in the program’s history and its second in the last three seasons this Thursday (May 10) after receiving an at-large bid. The Bulldogs’ most recent regional appearance was in 2005 at the Great Lakes Regional (May 12-13) in Highland Heights, Ky. Ferris registered a 1-2 tourney mark as the Bulldogs posted a 2-0 victory over Northwood (May 12) before suffering a 9-1 six-inning loss to host Northern Kentucky (May 12). FSU concluded play at the double-elimination as a result of an 8-5 setback to West Virginia Wesleyan (May 13).

Against Regional Opponents: The Bulldogs have compiled the following all-time records versus the 2007 NCAA-II Great Lakes Region field. Gannon – 20-9; Wayne State – 38-82; Grand Valley State – 29-71; Lewis – 4-11-0; Southern Illinois-Edwardsville – 4-9; Missouri-Rolla – 0-1; Shepherd – 0-0.

Hitting Leaders – Ferris State’s top four hits leaders this season – Sarah Mueller (49), Krystle Bailey (45), sophomore shortstop McKenzie West (39), and freshman second baseman Amanda Harrington (38) have combined to produce 50.9% (171-336) of the squad’s total hits production to date.

Winning Ways – Ferris State has won 17 of its last 23 games to date while outscoring the opposition by a 103-30 margin. The Bulldogs have outscored their opponent, 33-1, in the third inning alone and are also 16-0 when scoring the contest’s initial run in that 23-game span.

Double Trouble – The Bulldogs’ 81 doubles in their 44 games this campaign represents the second highest single-season total in the program’s history. The 1998 team, which posted a 44-17 overall record, racked up a school-record 92 second-base hits.

Did You Know? – FSU’s .366 on base percentage this season presently ranks third on the school’s all-time season leaders list.

Impressive Debut – Pitcher Holly Bruntjens has compiled a team-best 13-5 record in the circle this spring. She leads the Bulldogs in innings pitched (122.1), earned run average (1.09), strikeouts (112), complete games (13), games started (19), and appearances (23). A Saginaw Valley State transfer, Bruntjens went 8-1 with a squad-leading 0.85 earned run average in 57.1 innings for the month of April as Ferris posted a 16-4 record. Bruntjens’ 13 victories this spring is tied for 10th best single-season win total in FSU annals while her 1.09 ERA currently ranks fifth-best ever.

Bailey’s Bat – Krystle Bailey has hit safely in 13 of her last 14 games and has recorded a team-leading .364 batting average (16-44) during that period. She also has five doubles, one homer, three RBI, eight runs scored, and a .545 slugging percentage.

Digging The Long Ball – The Bulldogs’ 25 home runs this season is four shy of tying a FSU single-season record, which is held by the 2005 team (31 roundtrippers). Eight different batters have cleared the fence this campaign with Katie Kraai’s career-high five homers leading the way. Kraai belted a combined three home runs in 101 contests during her first two seasons (2005-06).

Coaching Milestone – Head coach Keri Becker reached a milestone on April 16 as she registered her 300th career coaching win in the Bulldogs’ 10-2 six-inning home victory over Ashland in game two of a conference doubleheader.

Katie At The Plate – Katie Kraai was Ferris’ top offensive performer at the 2005 NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional as she batted a team-best .500 (4-8) with one home run and three RBI. Kraai was named to the 2005 Regional All-Tournament Team.

A Comparison – The 2007 team is hitting .286 (336-1174) with 210 runs scored and 118 total bases in 44 games entering the NCAA-II Regionals. In comparison, the 2005 squad hit for a .292 average (393-1346) and posted 218 runs while registering 109 total bases in 48 contests prior to NCAA post-season action. This season, FSU has totaled 81 doubles, 12 triples, 25 home runs, and 185 RBI while the 2005 team produced 67 doubles, 13 triples, 29 home runs, and 196 RBI.

One More – Sarah Mueller is one victory shy of matching her last season’s wins total (12-12). The sophomore hurler sports a current 11-7 pitching mark this spring. She compiled an 8-3 record in 12 April appearances to go with a 0.94 earned run average in 67.1 innings. Among The National Leaders – Ferris State ranks ninth among the NCAA-II statistical leaders in earned run average (1.34), 15th in doubles per game (1.82) and 44th in triples per game (0.27). Individually, Holly Bruntjens is 20th in earned run average (1.09) and 79th in strikeouts per seven innings (6.4). Sarah Mueller is 34th in earned run average (1.39), 47th in doubles per game (0.34), and 90th in walks (0.5). Laura Crower is listed 41st in walks (0.59).