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"Battle At The Ballpark" Weekly: Issue #1
Posted: Sep 03, 2009

"Battle At The Ballpark" Weekly: Issue #1

Editor's Note: This is the first of five weekly preview installments leading up to the "Battle At The Ballpark" on Oct. 3 at Fifth Third Ballpark.  Look for a new edition with information on the game each week.

About The Game: The Ferris State University football team will square off against the Michigan Tech Huskies in the "Battle At The Ballpark" on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park, Mich.  Kickoff for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) encounter is set for 7 p.m. (EDT) and will be played on the home surface of Minor League Baseball's West Michigan Whitecaps, who are an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.  FSU will be the home team and the game will serve as a fundraiser for the Bulldog football program.

Ticket Information: General public tickets are $10 with all college students and those is grades K-12 being charged $5 per ticket.  The game will be a no-pass event and everyone will be required to purchase a ticket. To purchase tickets in advance to the "Battle At The Ballpark", please stop by the FSU Athletics Ticket Office (cash/check only) or call the West Michigan Whitecaps Ticket Office at (616) 784-4131. 

FSU Ticket Sales: General Tickets for this contest will also be sold in the ticket window until 8 p.m. (ET) at FSU's home football contest versus Ashland this Saturday (Sept. 5) and again at the Bulldogs' home game against archrival Grand Valley State in two weeks (Sept. 19). More information on ticket sales can also be obtained by calling the FSU Athletics Ticket Office at (231) 591-2888.

The Latest News: A seating diagram has been developed for those planning to attend the contest.  The field will run from the third base line to right field.  FSU students will sit behind the endzone along the third base line with general public seats running down the first base line.  Michigan Tech fans, marching bands and rocket youth football players will occupy the space behind home plate.  The Whitecaps' press box facilities will be utilized for media behind the home plate area as well.  The complete diagram can be found online at this link:  http://www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com/ballpark/information/seatingdiagram

Looking At Ferris State: Ferris State (1-0, 0-0 GLIAC) opened its 101st season of varsity action by beating the Tiffin Dragons 34-14 in a non-league game last Saturday (Aug. 29) evening at Top Taggart Field. A crowd of 3,407 fans braved drizzly conditions throughout the contest to watch the Bulldogs roll to the season-opening win.  FSU scored 20 points in the final 4:24 of the first half to take a 27-7 halftime advantage. The Bulldogs forced four turnovers, including a 65-yard interception return for a touchdown, and totaled 322 yards of total offense in the game.  FSU had 23 players make their first appearance in a Bulldog uniform versus Tiffin and nine started for the first time. 

Looking At Michigan Tech: Michigan Tech opens its 87th season of action this Saturday (Sept. 5) after being idle in week one.  The Huskies were listed 28th nationally in the 2009 American Football Coaches Association Division II Poll.  A year ago, MTU recorded an 8-3 overall record and tied for third in the GLIAC standings with a 7-3 league mark.  Head coach Tom Kearly will embark on his fourth season at the Michigan Tech helm and the Huskies were picked third in the 2009 GLIAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

This Week: Ferris State continues its season-opening homestand with its GLIAC opener against nationally 23rd-ranked Ashland this Saturday (Sept. 5) evening at Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids.  Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (EDT).  Meanwhile, the Huskies open the 2009 campaign by visiting Hillsdale on Saturday for a league matchup at HC's "Muddy" Waters Stadium in Hillsdale, Mich.  The MTU-Hillsdale contest kicks off at 12 p.m. (ET).

Series Information: MTU leads Ferris in the all-time series' between the two teams by a 31-23-4 count heading into the "Battle At The Ballpark".  The Huskies own a current six-game series' winning streak and beat FSU 21-7 last season (10/4/08) at Sherman Field in Houghton, Mich.

About Fifth Third Ballpark: Fifth Third Ballpark, which was originally known as Old Kent Park, opened in April of 1994 and has a total seating capacity of 10,071 in a variety of formats, including box seats, luxury suites, deck/patio areas and lawn/standing room locations. The ballpark is one of the only professional baseball stadiums in the country to be constructed strictly with private funds and without taxpayer dollars.

The Stadium Setting: While Fifth Third Ballpark is primarily used for minor league baseball games, the venue has played host to a multitude of other events in recent years, including concerts, high school and college baseball games along with carnivals. The Ferris-Michigan Tech game will be the second college football game to be played at Fifth Third Ballpark following the "Fall Classic" in 2007 when Grand Valley State defeated Wayne State in another GLIAC matchup. The ballpark also hosted two high school football games in 2008.

Pregame Activities: Tailgating for the "Battle At The Ballpark" will start at 4 p.m. (ET) on game day.  Two bands will play outside the stadium as part of the pregame activities, including Saraph and Sargent Avenue.  The Sargent Avenue Band features former Bulldog football player Jordan Moore.  A "Cornhole" Tournament (popular bean bag toss game) will also take place.

FSU Alumni Association Event: The FSU Alumni Association will hold a special event in conjunction with the game at Fifth Third Ballpark.  For more information on alumni activities, please contact their office at (888) 378-3647.

Event Hotel Information: The Comfort Suites® Grand Rapids North will be the official "event hotel" for the "Battle At The Ballpark" and is easily accessible from U.S. Highway 131 across the street from Fifth Third Ballpark for those needing accommodations for the game in Comstock Park. Please call (616) 785-7899 for more information and reservations. Fans will need to reference the "Battle At The Ballpark" rate to receive the hotel's special rate for the game.

Busing: Buses will be available to transport FSU students.  The buses will leave from Top Taggart Field on a first-come, first-serve basis starting at 3:30 p.m. (ET) on game day.

Visit The "Battle At The Ballpark" Website: Complete information on the game and the activities surrounding the "Battle At The Ballpark" can be found online.  Please visit the new FSU Athletics Website at www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com and click on the "Battle At The Ballpark" icon (lower left-hand side).