Week In Review:
The Truman women's softball team dropped four this past week, two to Emporia (Kan.) State University (10-0, 8-0) and two to No. 10 ranked Missouri Western State University (8-0, 4-0). Rainy conditions throughout this week have forced for the upcoming doubleheaders to be pushed back a few days.
Week At A Glance:
After rainy conditions that lasted for days and postponed games, the Bulldogs will head south to Pittsburg (Kan.) State University and Missouri Southern State University before finishing the back-to-back-to-back doubleheaders with a home match-up against William Jewell College. All three doubleheaders start at 2 pm.
Scouting the Competition:
The Gorillas of Pittsburg State have compiled an 11-16 overall record and as of Thursday had not competed in conference play. Amanda DeCastro leads the team in batting average with a .426, but Tiffany Brown is the primary offense producer for the Gorillas. She has posted a .390 batting average with seven home runs and 23 RBI's. Truman leads the all-time series 30-18.
The doubleheader against Missouri Southern State University and Truman will be the Lions first conference match-up this season. The Lions have started the season off with an 8-17 record. Breanna Volkmann helps lead the squad, posting a .426 average with a team leading two triples. Truman holds a slight edge on the Lions, leading the all-time series 25-24.
As a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference, the William Jewell Cardinals have posted a 10-9 record overall. This will be the sixth meeting between the two schools with Truman holding the 5-0 advantage. Rachel Hayden leads the squad offensively, with a .362 average and a team leading 21 hits and 34 total bases. The Cardinals defeated Northwest Missouri State University earlier this year 12-5 in their only MIAA match-up.
Current Weather Forecast:
The National Weather Service has forecasted a high of 79 on Sunday with sunny skies and a 0% chance of precipitation in Pittsburg, Kan. Joplin's forecast on Monday is a high of 84 with mostly sunny skies and a 0% chance of rain. Once back in Kirksville, the National Weather Service has forecasted a high of 78 with a 30% chance of isolated T-storms.
MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll:
The Truman Softball squad was selected seventh in the MIAA Coaches poll released early February. The 'Dogs tallied up 39 points to come in six points ahead of Pittsburg (Kan.) State and Washburn (Kan.).
Crushing Stats At The Plate…:
Truman is continuing to lead the MIAA in batting average, slugging percentage, homeruns, total bases and on top of all of that…they're second in doubles, hits and on base percentage.
Bridget Schade sits second in the league with a .447 batting average.
Here's where the numbers fall:
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.315 Team Batting Average
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.473 Slugging Percentage
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.374 On Base Percentage
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24 Homeruns
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350 Total Bases
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43 Doubles
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233 Hits
Top Ten Lists:
Four members of the Bulldog squad have crept up onto three of Truman's all-time top ten lists.
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Mary Manley started the 2012 campaign tied for eighth all-time for career doubles with 27. This season thus far, she has added four to her total, bringing her up to 31 doubles. She has passed Bulldog Kristen Roberts and has moved to 6th all-time. She sits one behind LeAnn Paul and Loni Wedemier and four behind Jen Wright, who is fourth on the list. Kristi Bredbenner is on top the list with 55.
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Laura Miller started this season at ninth on the all-time stolen bases list with 34. This season, she has tacked on six more. This puts her tied of 2011 graduate Alex Weber with 40 and three behind Jessie Shelman. Christen Belcher is the record holder by a landslide, stealing 153 bases while at Truman.
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Starting the season with 78 appearances and adding 15 since, Ashley Rotkvich sits at third on the all-time appearances in Truman history. Jen Hulsopple is on top of the list with 132 appearances.
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Bridget Schade sits third on the all-time career batting average list with a .373 average. She is .059 points behind leader Elizabeth Economon, who set the record between the years 2001-2004.
Up Next:
The Truman women's softball squad will head to Oklahoma for the final weekend in March with a pair of doubleheaders against two future members of the MIAA. On Saturday, the Bulldogs will face-off against Northeastern (Okla.) State University for a 2 pm start. Then, on Sunday, the 'Dogs will head up the road to Edmond, Okla. for a pair against Central Oklahoma. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm on Sunday.
