It’s tough to encourage your arch enemy, but that’s exactly what happened to the Ferris State softball team Saturday. After splitting with league leading Wayne State early in the week, the Bulldogs found themselves pulling for neighboring rival Grand Valley State on the weekend, needing the Lakers to at least earn a split with Wayne State if FSU were to have any chance at a conference title. While the Bulldog ladies twice disposed of Hillsdale in the frigid cold, Grand Valley delivered the gift Ferris needed, splitting with WSU to give the Bulldogs a tie for first place through the regular season.

Ferris State and Wayne State University battled through two heated games after a rain delay on Friday, April 25. The Bulldogs and the Warriors split the double header in the battle for the top spot in the GLIAC. In the first game, junior pitcher Sarah Mueller suffered the loss as Ferris State fell to the Warriors 1-0. Mueller pitched seven innings while allowing five scattered hits and one earned run with two strike outs.

Wayne State was able to push a run across in the top of the first and that’s all they needed as Warrior pitcher Molly Yetman shut the Bulldogs down while only allowing three hits and one walk in seven innings of work.

The Bulldog bats were led by junior first baseman Amanda Jager and senior third baseman Katie Kraai. Jager reached base with two hits and Kraai added one. The Bulldogs tried to make a late surge in the bottom of the seventh inning but were not able to push the tying run across.

The second game went deep into extra innings, forcing International Softball Rules to go into effect. The rules state that after nine tied innings of play, each team will place a runner on second base with nobody out to begin the inning. The Bulldogs started the top of the 10th inning with red shirt freshman Rachel Wade on second base. Wade was pushed over to third base with a successful sacrifice bunt from Mueller. With two outs in the inning Kraai singled through the box into center field, scoring Wade from third base giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.

The Warriors started the bottom of the 10th the same way with a runner at second base. The Bulldogs were able to turn a crucial double play as the Wayne State batter grounded to junior shortstop McKenzie West who made the force out at first base. Jager came up gunning and made a perfect throw over to third baseman Kraai who made the tag on the Warrior base runner. Wayne State made the final out of the game by grounding to Kraai who threw the runner out at first giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 victory.

Bulldogs pitcher, junior Holly Bruntjens, pitched all ten shutout innings as she allowed four scattered hits and struck out five, picking up her 10th win of the season. “It was great to beat Wayne State, they are a good team,” said Bruntjens. “It was great to pitch 10 shutout innings, but it was because I had great defense behind me.”

“Both games were very tough and it came down to which team was going to flinch first,” said Ferris State head coach Keri Becker. “Every base runner was precious and so were the opportunities and the scores.”

Hillsdale traveled up to Big Rapids to face the Bulldogs as the area was hit by cold temperatures and high winds. Ferris State received a strong pitching performance from Mueller who picked up her 13th win of the season. Muller allowed four scattered hits and had one strike out in seven innings of work in the 5-0 victory. Mueller received run support as the Bulldogs pushed runs across in four different innings.

Ferris State bats were led by Mueller, Kraai, junior catcher Krystle Bailey, freshman centerfielder Lynsay Weaver and West. West scored one run and had one hit, Bailey scored two runs and one hit and Weaver also recorded one hit. Mueller and Kraai totaled two runs, six hits and five RBIs. The Bulldogs scored their five runs on nine hits and four walks.

In the second game of the double header, the Bulldogs received strong pitching performances from Bruntjens and sophomore Kayle Stevenson. Bruntjens worked four innings, allowing eight hits and one earned run and Stevenson picked up her third win of the season working three innings, striking out four and allowing one earned run in the Bulldog 8-6 victory.

The Chargers started the game off by scoring three runs early, but Ferris State came back in the fifth inning, scoring five runs and adding three in the sixth. In the top of the fifth inning, the Bulldogs scored five runs on four hits, one drawn walk and two Hillsdale errors. Picking up RBIs were Kraai, West and sophomore second baseman Amanda Harrington.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Ferris State got things rolling as Mueller and Bailey were both able to reach base on singles. Mueller came around to score on Kraai’s RBI single and Bailey scored on a Charger throwing error. The Bulldogs were able to score their three runs in the sixth on three hits and two Hillsdale errors. As a team Ferris State tallied its eight runs on 11 hits and three drawn walks.

The Bulldogs now await Mercyhurst as they head to Emerson Park in Midland, Mich. The Bulldogs will be participating in the GLIAC Tournament on the weekend of May 2-4. Congratulations to the Ferris State Bulldogs softball team on their GLIAC Championship.

It’s finally come, the day seniors have been counting down to since they arrived on campus back in August. It is approaching faster and faster as each year passes, and that is the day of senior graduation.

It’s a day you have all strived for since you enrolled at Ferris. You are excited about your intended career and are eager to embark on a new journey. Some have changed majors, and are still unsure if this degree or major is right for you. Others have jobs lined up, and are on their way to crashing through the glass ceiling.

It is a day you have counted down till, and the late nights and early mornings of homework are no more. Exams, projects, and those group meetings at 3 a.m. over a cup (or six) of coffee are behind you.

Lucky you. Over the past three years I have grown close to many friends who are graduating way too soon, if you ask me.

They will become nurses, public relations professionals, golf pros, construction geniuses, teachers, film directors, a basketball coach-manager-person, and will begin a new life away from school and teachers. For that I envy you.

I also need to congratulate you for completing college and obtaining your degree. I know it wasn’t always fun, but the hard work makes it great. You are one of the select few that will be labeled a professional when you walk across the stage and receive your diploma.

To my friends, and those I don’t know, congratulations.

Thank you Jeff for coming aboard this year and covering football, hockey, and anything you really didn’t want to. I greatly appreciate it. You brought a new aspect to the sports’ section, and were able to insult a well-established university within your first couple of weeks writing. EXCELLENT!

Good luck at Weber Shandwick, you will do great. Just try to leave the expletives out of your press releases.

Thaddaeus, your wisdom and arguments will be missed next year! I don’t know if I will find someone who challenges my beliefs as much as you did, but I always enjoyed discussing current matters with you.

Oh Sarah, to think we spent the last two years hating each other all because of an intense basketball game. Now, I can’t imagine the past year without you, making fun of the Penguin, looking for eggs at five in the morning, crazy stories, crazy moments, and being whacked with a pillow. Basketball champions - Represent! Good luck in whatever it is you do, with whatever basketball program you end up at; doing whatever it is you’re going to do.

I wish you luck all public relations seniors. You were great to work with over the last couple years in PRSSA. I will miss your guidance and you flipping out about class. I’m scared to think it will soon be me giving guidance to the younger classes. Thank you for your help with every four-step plan, ordering T-shirts and everything else.

Ashley just think, you will never have to find a reason to skip a can drive, after our negative 30 degree adventure.

Katie, who makes me sound good week in and week out, who makes it look like I know where to put the comma and who feeds me crackers. Good luck out in Colorado doing that masters thing. You will be great!

To the seniors on Aces and Diamonds, good luck in whatever it is you do! I know you will be able to tackle anything life throws your way. Congratulations on graduating, you guys are the best!

Last but certainly not least, thank you Dr. Dennis Ruzicka. You have made me a better writer, a better journalist and a better editor. Even though I developed a strong hatred for that green pen of yours and was convinced you made up those clauses, I appreciate everything. Stop laughing, I’m serious.

Good luck over in Wisconsin, the land of cheese and crackers. You will be missed here at the Torch.

To every senior, I wish you luck on your journey.

This past weekend, the Ferris State Bulldogs track team joined others from around the country to compete in the 99th annual Drake Relays.

Nearly 8,000 athletes representing 686 teams will be competing in the event hosted by Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. College and universities from all corners of the United States will compete in the running.

These colleges and universities will be representing 34 states, including California (UC Riverside, Long Beach State), Florida (Florida, South Florida, Tampa), Oregon (Portland State), Vermont (Vermont) and Utah (Utah, Utah State) which will be attending the event.

The Bulldogs' women’s team placed in five different events over the course of the competition.

The Bulldogs started off the day by placing ninth in the women’s 4x100 meter relay with a time of 48.45 seconds. The relay team is comprised of freshman Marva Goodson, junior Amy Woodman, freshman Jade Kaufman, and junior Krystle Wilson.

They were just two seconds behind the first place finisher Lincoln University from Montana. The team stayed together to compete again later that day in the 4x200 Meter Relay finishing in 17th place this time with a time of 1 minute and 49.66 seconds.

Freshman Kelsey Cryderman took Woodman’s spot on the team for the women’s 4x400 meter relay joining Goodson, Kaufman, and Wilson to help the team finish with a time of 4 minutes and 9.21 seconds.

The team was reunited to compete in the women’s 1600 Sprint Medley where they finished 19th with a time of 4 minutes and 25.95 seconds, just five seconds outside of 18th place.

Woodman competed in the long jump event for the Bulldogs where she finished in an impressive ninth place with a jump of six meters, just .56 meters shy of the leader.

The University of Minnesota ran a world leading time of 8 minutes and 32.73 seconds.

The University of Minnesota women’s track team ran a world leading time of 8 minutes 32.73 seconds in the 4x800 relay. The win marks the second straight year Minnesota has won at the Drake Relays.

Notre Dame won its third straight men’s 4x1600 relay title, finishing with a time of 16 minutes and 5.82 seconds. The Fighting Irish have won the event five times in the last seven years.

A new record was set by Georgia sophomore Chris Hill in the javelin throw as Hill recorded an amazing throw of 268 feet 1 inch. The distance was enough to break the old record of 265 feet 7 inches which was set by Pal Andre Fagernes of Arizona State in 1996.

Northern Iowa retained its title in the men’s 4x800 relay for the second straight year as Tyler Mulder, the 2008 NCAA Indoor 800 champion, ran a 1:47.8 split, allowing his team to finish with a final of seven minutes and 28.98 seconds.

Sixty-seven universities sent a total of 924 athletes to compete in the men’s division with Nebraska sending the largest number of competitors with 44 attending the event.

The women’s division was comprised of 1,008 athletes from 73 universities. Minnesota sent the largest number of athletes to compete in the women’s division with 41 participants.

A total of 1,700 runners competed in the 8k road race and half-marathon that took place on Saturday morning.

The Ferris State Track Team also competed in the Hillsdale Gina Relays in Hillsdale, Mich over the weekend but results were unavailable.

The previous track competition the Bulldogs competed in was the Northwood Open in Midland, Mich. which took place Saturday, April 19.

The relay team of Woodman, Wilson, Goodson, and Kaufman not only finished in first place in the women’s 4x100 meter relay, but broke the school record that was established in 1992. They also were close to reaching the national provisional qualification time.

Wilson also recorded two firstplace finishes in the 200 meters and the 400 meters. Her time in the quarter-mile ranks among the top five all-time marks in Bulldog history and also surpassed the national provisional qualification standard.

Sophomore Emily Cross finished first in the high jump with a jump of 5 feet 6 inches. It was the school’s third best outdoor leap ever and she reached the national provisional standard.

The next competition for the Bulldogs track team will be the GLIAC Outdoor Championship which will be held at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor with events taking place on May 1 and 2.

Men’s Golf
The Bulldogs competed at the NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Tournament III, in Noblesville, Ind. on April 20-21; placing second out of nine teams. Ferris’ team recorded a 300 first round score, and 295 in the second round. The Bulldogs finished with a total of 595 in 36 holes.

Women’s Golf
The Lady Bulldogs finished second in the GLIAC championships this past weekend in Findlay, Ohio. The Lady Bulldogs shot a 307 in the opening round, a 313 in the second and a 307 in the third for a total of 927, in 54 holes.

Bowling
The United States Bowling Congress Queens Tournament is being held in Canton, Mich. on April 26-30. The USBC is an organization that serves amateur adults and youth bowlers in the United States currently serving more than 2.6 million members.

Ferris State Torch photographer Leslie Gilbert is currently participating in the Queens Tournament which is paying out the top 100 places with an estimated prize total of $200,000. First place is guaranteed to win $30,000.

The finals of the USBC Queens Tournament will be televised on Wednesday, April 30 at 7 p.m. Come and watch the heated race to first place!

The sweat is dripping down your back, your heart is thumping. It's a battlefield out there and there is nowhere to hide. The whistle sounds and you take off. Sliding into a cover area, you are safe until you can’t hold off the enemies. You’re surrounded and their is no where to go.

You can hear the sounds of fire, but you can’t see where it’s coming from.

Snap! There is a sharp pain in your side. It broke. Paint splats against your torso and you're out. Marker in the air, you have just lost. Sweat continuing to drip, you have to make it out safe before you’re hit again.

Last week a few other Torch employees and I spent the night playing a sport most of us were not familiar with, paintball.

We got to fulfill what every person dreams about - shooting their boss.

Despite what some employees think, I did have a great time and will do it again. Next time though, I will have a lot more padding. It was definitely a crazy sport that left me hurting the next day.

We played speedball style, which is essentially Capture the Flag on steroids. In speedball, each team has a side of the field filled with bunkers and inflatables. The flag is placed in the center of the field and each team has to escape fire, grab the flag and run it to the opposing team’s base.

Points are awarded for tagging people, grabbing the flag and getting the flag to the other side. The team with the most points after a few rounds is obviously the winner. In tournament there is a time limit, but we just played until a whole team was out or the flag was captured.

When we played we were not keeping score, but it was obvious that the other team won. When we started it was more of a defensive game where not many shots were fired, but it quickly changed once people were tagged and knew what to expect.

I will have to say, this game is not for the faint of heart. It does hurt, especially if the paintballs do not break. Layers are a must, and it’s a good idea to wear baggy clothing.

Myself, being the person who doesn't listen to common sense or my father, wore regular jeans and a thin underarmor shirt. I think the best time I had the whole night was showing off my bruises to everyone.

I am huge fan of laser tag, but actually getting hit puts a whole new level to the game. It made me a lot less gutsy when making my moves.

I loved seeing the progression of how we played. Out on the field we went in not really acting like a team. Nobody was communicating and we were constantly getting shot. By the end of the night people were yelling out positions and really strategizing on what tactics to do. I could definitely see people using this as a team building exercise.

Overall, I would recommend trying this sport, especially if you are a laser tag fanatic like I am. You will have a great time.

A few words of advice though, wear heavy clothing and always have a plan. It's key to act as a team and cover people when they are running.

Next time you are offered to play I recommend you definitely take up the offer.