Sports shorts

Softball soaring
The 2014-2015 Bulldog softball totaled only seven wins by March 26. This year, the Lady Dawgs have more than doubled that win count with 19 wins in the same amount of time.

Not only has the team done better to this point, they have already won more games this season than they did total last season. The same can be said for the 2013-2014 season where the Bulldogs won only 13 games over the course of the season. The last winning season came during the 2012-2013 stint when the team went 29-16.

Sophomore Alexx Astorga has been huge for the Dawgs winning season so far. Astorga leads the team in both homeruns and RBIs.

The Lady Dawgs have a weekend matchup with GLIAC rival Grand Valley State University at GVSU on Sunday, April 3 starting at noon.

Daaamn Daniels
Ferris State hockey head coach Bob Daniels has accomplished much over his time with the Bulldogs.

With their NCAA Tournament victory over St. Cloud State last Saturday, the Dawgs received their tenth 20 win season in the history of the program. The weekend win also marked the seventh time in Daniels’ career that he has coached a 20 win season.

The Bulldog community also has Daniels to thank for being at the helm of all four of the Dawgs’ Elite Eight trips.

Coach Daniels has been in the Ferris State program since 1989. That is 27 years that the Ferris State faithful have to be thankful for.

Quarterback conundrum
There are some big shoes in need of filling when it comes to the Ferris State football program’s quarterback position.

According to Offensive Coordinator Ryan Brady, there are six men vying for the right to start under center. Jason Vander Laan has graduated and is currently preparing for a potential career in the National Football League.

The names of those who could replace JVL include junior Trevor Bermingham, freshman Jevon Shaw, freshman John Higgins, freshman Travis Russell, sophomore Jordan Haan and sophomore Landon Grove. Bermingham has seen the most playing time of the six. He had a 77.4 completion percentage last year with one touchdown.

Though he has the most experience for the Dawgs, that does not guarantee a starting position for Bermingham. The Bulldog Nation will know whom their starter will be come Saturday, Sept. 3 when the Dawgs host Ohio Dominican in the first home game of the season.

Did you miss last week’s Sports shorts? Read them here.