1999 Softball Notes

May 21

The Bulldogs were eliminated from the NCAA Division II Softball Championships with a 2-1 opening game loss against Humboldt State (Calif). and a 4-3 loss to North Dakota State in the loser's bracket. Ferris completes its season at 46-18.

Senior left fielder Jody Gifford was named a Second Team All-American in NCAA Division II by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Gifford was a Third Team All-American in 1997. Gifford, in leading Ferris to its second straight Great Lakes Regional title and the GLIAC Tournament championship, topped the Bulldogs in batting average (.374), hits (68), RBI (43) home runs (9) and slugging percentage (.626). She earned Regional All-Tournament team honors for the second straight season after hitting .417 over 4 games.

A three-time All-GLIAC and All-Region First Team selection, Gifford holds FSU career records for batting average (.375), hits (276), doubles (41), triples (19), home runs (31), RBI (193) and total bases (448).

May 19

The Bulldogs have qualified for the NCAA Division II Softball Championships, May 20-24, in Salem, Virginia. . .Ferris won its second straight Great Lakes Regional title last weekend after defeating Ashland, 5-1, in the championship game at Grand Valley. . .The Bulldogs advanced to the championship game after defeating Ashland (6-1) and Grand Valley (11-2). . .Ashland advanced through the loser's bracket and beat Ferris (5-2) to force a deciding final game won by the Bulldogs. . .In the final game, junior pitcher Brandy Coe earned her second victory of the tournament after throwing a 6-hit complete game. . .Three players – senior outfielder Casey Munger, junior right fielder Jaymee Kent and senior left fielder Jody Gifford – enjoyed 2-hit games in the final victory while junior first baseman Nadine Crowl had 3 RBI.

The Bulldogs are making their second consecutive NCAA National Tournament appearance and third in team history. . .Ferris finished third at the 1998 NCAA Nationals, marking the highest finish in the history of women's athletics at FSU. . .In last year's tournament, the Bulldogs were the only team to defeat the eventual national champions, California (Pa.). . .Ferris is 11-5 in NCAA Tournament action, including a 9-3 record the last 2 years. . .Ferris is 130-53 (.710) during the first 3 seasons under head coach Keri Becker.

Ferris State's pitching staff has set single-season records for wins (46), strikeouts (324), innings pitched (412.1), shutouts (16) and complete games (56). . .Junior pitcher Nadine Crowl holds FSU career records for wins (54), strikeouts (341), shutouts (16) and complete games (68). . .Crowl has already set the Bulldogs' single-season record this spring for strikeouts with 162. . .She threw 2 no-hitters this season (including a perfect game) and was twice named "GLIAC Pitcher-of-the-Week". . .Senior left fielder Jody Gifford is FSU's career leader in batting average (.375), hits (276), doubles (41), triples (19), home runs (31), RBI (193) and total bases (448). . .Junior right fielder Jaymee Kent currently has 15 doubles, one short of the team record set last year by junior second baseman Anne Bentley. . .Junior pitcher Brandy Coe won both the GLIAC and Great Lakes Regional Championship games and is 5-0 with a 0.99 ERA in her last 6 starts. . .Sophomore catcher Anne Koltvedt is hitting .381 (8-21) over the last 6 games.

The 1999 Bulldogs have set a new team record for wins in a season for the third straight year. . .The Bulldogs enter the NCAA Nationals at 46-16 and have now compiled 3 straight 40-win seasons (130-53) under head coach Keri Becker. . .FSU was 40-20 in 1997 and 44-17 in 1998.

Senior outfielder Jody Gifford earned First Team All-Great Lakes Region and First Team All-GLIAC honors for the third straight year. . .Junior pithcer Nadine Crowl and senior outfielder Casey Munger received All-GLIAC honorable mention accolades.

FSU has won 19 of its last 22 games.
Six members of the team earned Great Lakes Regional All-Tournament team honors: Anne Koltvedt, Jaymee Kent, Casey Munger, Jody Gifford, Brandy Coe and Nadine Crowl.
Nadine Crowl and Casey Munger earned 1998 NCAA Championship All-Tournament team honors.

May 10

Ferris won the 1999 GLIAC Softball Tournament title with 4 victories in 5 games last weekend, including a 4-1 win over regular-season titlist Ashland in the championship game.

The Bulldogs, winners in 16 of their last 18 games, stormed through the winners bracker despite being the tournament's fourth seed. FSU opened with a 6-0 win over Saginaw Valley, then defeated Ashland (3-2) and Gannon (6-5) to advance to the championships.

Ferris lost 2-1 to Ashland before bouncing back to win the title game, 4-1. Among the heroes for the Bulldogs was junior Nadine Crowl, who had at least one hit in every game. Her bases-loaded double helped FSU erase a 3-1 deficit in the win over Gannon, and she was 2-1 with a 1.98 ERA as a pitcher.

Another junior, Brandy Coe, pitched Ferris to the win over Ashland in the championship game. She also shut out Saginaw Valley and allowed only 3 earned runs in 16.1 innings of work.

Ferris will compete this weekend (May 14-15) in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Championships at Grand Valley. The Regional champion will advance to the NCAA Division II National Championships in Salem, Virginia, May 19-24. Ferris reached the Nationals last year and finished third in the country.

May 4

Junior pitcher Nadine Crowl was named the GLIAC "Softball Pitcher of the Week" for her fine work on the mound last week. Crowl earned 3 wins in 3 starts for the Bulldogs and did not allow a run or walk over 19 innings. She blanked NCAA Division III power Alma College and tossed a perfect game against Hillsdale. She allowed only 7 hits in 19 innings and struck out 22 batters. Crowl has already broken her own school record for strikeouts in a season with 136, topping her previous mark of 122 set last year.

The Bulldogs were 7-1 last week, including 5 wins in the GLIAC North Cluster Tournament. . .Junior second baseman Anne Bentley had a least one hit in all 8 games and batted .444 for the week. . .Ferris has won 12 of its last 13 games.

April 26

The Bulldogs were 6-2 last week, including 5 wins in the Great Lakes Region Showdown. . .Ferris State's week included victories over regionally-ranked Lewis and Southern Indiana. . .Senior outfielder Jody Gifford became FSU's all-time leader in triples after belting her 18th in a win over Wisconsin-Parkside. . .Junior outfielder Jaymee Kent hit .385 last week and put together a 6-game hitting streak. She had 5 doubles last week and needs only 2 more to tie the Bulldogs' single-season record.

April 19

The Bulldogs lost twice at Grand Valley last week, but rebounded to sweep a twinbill with Saginaw Valley. . .Ferris made 8 errors and gave up only one earned run in the 2 losses to Grand Valley. . .Senior outfielder Jody Gifford hit .467 last week with 4 RBI in 4 games. . .The Bulldogs are ranked 18th in the latest NFCA/USA Today Division II national poll.

April 12

The Bulldogs were 2-1 last week. . .Junior pitcher Nadine Crowl set a school record for career strikeouts when she fanned eight batters against Gannon, running her total to 260. . .Senior outfielder Jody Gifford hit .600 last week with 4 runs and 3 RBI in 3 games. . .Gifford's triple against Mercyhurst allowed her to tie the school record for career triples with 17. She already holds school records for hits (242), homers (26), RBI (175), runs (148) and total bases (390).

April 5

The Bulldogs won 6 of 8 games last week. . .Junior pitcher Nadine Crowl tied a school record by throwing 41 consecutive scoreless innings before allowing a run in the fourth inning of FSU's 4-2 win at Northwood on March 31. . .Senior Jody Gifford hit .400 last week, including a .467 clip in 4 GLIAC games. . .Junior pitcher Brandy Coe won of pair of league starts last week.

March 29

Nadine Crowl was named GLIAC "Softball Pitcher of the Week" for her fine play for the Bulldogs last week. Crowl, a junior, threw three shutouts in earning tournament "MVP" honors at the Wayne State Invitational. She threw her first career no-hitter against Valdosta State and twice beat California (Pa.), the defending NCAA Division II national champions. In 21 innings of work, the left-handed Crowl allowed only 10 hits and two walks while striking out 24. She has a current streak of 38 consecutive shutout innings.

The Bulldogs won the Wayne State Invitational with a 5-1 record that included a 3-0 victory over defending national champ California (Pa.) in the championship game. . .Joining pitcher Nadine Crowl on the All-Tournament team were senior Jody Gifford and junior Anne Bentley.

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