March 17, 2009 – The Truman softball team will take to the diamond at home for the first time in 2009 as they host Quincy University in a non-conference game on Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m.
The doubleheader will be the first of three straight games against the Hawks as the two teams will open up play at the Ramada Inn Classic in St. Joseph, Mo. on Saturday. Truman will also face Concordia-St. Paul, Upper Iowa and Wayne State in the two-day event hosted by Missouri Western State University.
The Bulldogs enter Wednesday’s home game with a 6-11 mark and picked up three wins last weekend at the Emporia State tournament. Truman won both games against Tarleton State and then had a walk-off winner against Augustana (S.D.) in the tournament finale.
The Hawks enter the twin bill with a 9-13 record and have been winners of their last three games. Quincy took three of four Great Lakes Valley Conference games at home last weekend, splitting a doubleheader with Bellarmine (1-7; 4-0) and sweeping Northern Kentucky (2-1; 3-0).
BULLDOG BITES:
· Truman is hitting .224 as a team and has only hit three home runs this season.
· The Bulldogs are 13-of-16 in the stolen base department with Dani Mayer leading the team with four swipes out of five attempts.
· Senior Kali Holleran leads the team offensively with a .333 average with 16 hits in 48 at bats. She has five doubles with three coming last weekend at the Emporia State tournament. In addition to her 16 hits, Holleran had drawn seven walks and been hit by a pitch.
· Holleran is tied with Mayer with six RBIs.
· All three Bulldog pitchers have seen action in at least seven of the 17 games. Ashley Rotkvich leads the staff with 12 apperances and a 3-3 overall record. In 45 1/3 innings pitched, Rotkvich has a 3.24 ERA and 28 strikeouts.
· The Bulldogs have a team ERA of 3.44 and have surrendered 12 home runs.
TRUMAN WINS 800TH GAME:
With their 4-1 victory over Tarleton State on Saturday, the Truman softball program won their 800th game. The Bulldogs have an overall record of 802-581-1 (.579) since beginning in 1973.
LAST TIME AGAINST QUINCY:
Last season, Truman and Quincy had their doubleheader scheduled for April 22nd called off due to weather. The two teams last met on March 13, 2007 in Quincy. The Hawks won both ends of the doubleheader winning 6-4 and 4-3 in nine innings. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series with the Hawks 29-16.
SCOUNTING QUINCY:
Quincy is 9-13 on the season and has a team batting average of .250 and a team ERA of 2.76.
Torie Bunzell was recently named the Great Lakes Valley Conference pitcher of the week after posting a 5-1 record last week, opponent batting average of .128 and an ERA of 0.68. She had 61 strikeouts and three shutouts last week. For the season, Bunzell is 7-5 with a 1.91 ERA and 118 strikouts to just 16 walks.
Erin Gregory leads the Hawks at the plate with a .469 batting average. She is tied for the team lead (w/Missy Weaver) with four home runs and has 14 RBIs. The Hawks have hit 15 home runs in 22 games played.
LAST WEEK’S ACTION:
Truman started the week deep in the heart of Texas but was not shown any southern hospitality. St. Edward’s and St. Mary’s, both Division II schools in the region, swept doubleheaders with the ‘Dogs on consecutive days.
The Bulldogs lost the first game of the trip to St. Edward’s 1-0 in extra innings and then was defeated 7-0 in the nightcap. Truman lost to St. Mary’s 10-2 and 3-0 before heading to Emporia for the weekend tournament.
In a non-conference game with Washburn, the Lady Blues held the Bulldogs to just four hits in a 3-0 victory over Truman.
Sierra Bachle collected a pair of hits and two RBIs as Truman split games against Tarleton State (4-1) and Southwestern Oklahoma on Saturday. The Bulldogs came back to defeat Tarleton on Sunday 5-1 and then had a walk-off 5-4 winner against Augustana in the second game of the day.
Three Bulldogs hit over .300 during the week with Holleran leading the way with a .346 mark. Dani Mayer and Mary Manley also hit .300 for the week. Richelle vanGennip had five RBIs including the week’s only home run for Truman.
All three Bulldog pitchers got credit with a win last week but Truman’s team ERA was 3.50. The Bulldogs did strikeout out 40 hitters and only walked 26.
A LOOK AHEAD:
Concordia-St. Paul – The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 4-3 with the last meeting occurring at the Missouri Western tournament in 2006 (L 5-2). The Golden Bears are 13-11 this season and are led offensively by Sami Mattson (.375 avg. 3 HR, 14 RBIs) and pitching by Cassye McMahon (6-4 rec. 2.60 ERA). Concordia was 27-22 last year.
Upper Iowa – Truman is 8-1 against the Peacocks and last played Upper Iowa in 2006. The Peacocks enter the week with a 5-5 record. Amanda Gargantiel (.444 avg) and Stefani Schulte (1-1 rec. 1.54 ERA) lead the Peacocks respectively. Upper Iowa has hit just one home run entering the week. The Peacocks were 12-31 last season.
Wayne State – The Wildcats are 10-6 this season and Brittany Greenwood (.478 avg. 1 HR, 14 RBI) was just named the NSIC softball player of the week. Wayne State has a team ERA of 1.70 while as a team they have hit .320. The Bulldogs are 6-2 against Wayne State with their last meeting occurring in 2007.
The Bulldogs will return home next week with a pair of non-conference doubleheaders before opening up play in the MIAA. Truman will host future MIAA member Lincoln University on March 24 (1:00 p.m.) and former MIAA foe Missouri S&T on March 25.
Truman will then open conference play with a trip to Emporia State on March 27 and Washburn on March 28th.