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Truman State University Athletics

Softball Tyler Madsen, AMR Assistant Director

Park Notes: Softball to Continue Non-Conference Play

Games 6-9: TRUMAN (2-3, 0-0 GLVC) at Union (Tenn.) Invitational
Dates: Friday, February 21 – Saturday, February 22, 2014
Location: Jackson, Tenn. || Fesmire Field
Weather Forecast: Friday (Low 60s, Sunny); Saturday (Mid 60s; Sunny)
Live Stats: Available for all games – LINK
Statistics: Truman || GLVC (not yet available)
Social Media: @TrumanAthletics || @TrumanSoftball || 2014 Record Book/Media Guide
Weekend Schedule:
Date Time Opponent Series Record Last Meeting
Feb. 21 1 p.m. Walsh (Ohio)
0-0 (18-20 in 2013)		 First Meeting N/A
Feb. 21 3 p.m. Union (Tenn.)
7-4 (28-21 in 2013)		 First Meeting N/A
Feb. 22 9 a.m. Walsh (Ohio)
Feb. 22 11 a.m. Hiwassee (Tenn.)
No record available		 First Meeting N/A
 
For Starters:
After a 2-3 opening weekend of action at the North Alabama Invitational last Friday through Sunday, the Truman softball team ventures to western Tennessee this weekend for the two-day Union (Tenn.) University Invite in Jackson, Tennessee.
 
The Bulldogs will play two doubleheaders at UU's Fesmire Field, beginning with Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference member Walsh (Ohio) at 1 p.m. on Friday, before taking on host UU at 3 p.m.
 
Then, on Saturday, the Bulldogs face Walsh for a second time at 9 a.m. before taking on NCCAA-member Hiwassee (Tenn.) at 11 a.m. prior to returning home.
 
Coaching Staff:
Head Coach: Erin Brown
Division II Career Record: 146-194 || .429 || 8th season
At Truman: Same
Assistant Coach: Cathy Monroe (8th season)
 
Projected Lineup:
#6 – SS – Jessica VanNostrand – 5'6" – SR – .091 AVG (1-for-11); 2 runs, 2 HBP
#3 – 2B – Andrea Klipsch – 5'6" – JR – .083 AVG (1-for-12); 1 run, 3 SAC
#12 – RF – Kelsey Bollman – 5'8" – SR – .438 AVG (7-for-16); 1 2B, 1 HR, 1-1 SB
#8 – 1B – Liz Leath – 5'8" – JR – .278 AVG (5-for-18); 2 2B, 1 RBI
#15 – 3B – Cate Simon – 5'9" – JR – .417 AVG (5-for-12); 2 HR, 1 2B
#21 – DP – Whitney Richardson – 5'6" – SO – .125 AVG (2-for-16); 1 HR
#13 – LF – Ally McReynolds – 5'9" – JR –  .273 AVG (3-for-11); 1 2B; 2 RBI; 1-1 SB; 3 HBP
#5 – C – Alexis VanNostrand – 5'6" – FR – .308 AVG (4-for-13); 1 2B
#4 – CF – Danielle Lewellen – 5'7" – SR – .167 AVG (1-for-6); 1-1 SB

Off the Bench:
#1 – OF – Nikki Moss – 5'1" – SO – .000 AVG (0-for-6); 1 run
#2 – SS – Corey Niblett – 5'1" – SR – .333 AVG (2-for-6); 1 run 
#7 – OF – Hannah Wehar – 5'3" – JR – 2 GP, .333 AVG (1-for-3); 1 run
#10 – UT – Haley Wells – 5'5" – FR
#17 – OF – Kelsey Jacques – 5'4" – SO – 2 GP, .000 AVG (0-for-0)
#20 – C/1B – Caroline Gatti – 5'10" – R-FR – 1 GP, .000 AVG (0-for-1)

Starting Pitchers:
#19 – RHP – Kindra Henze – 6'1" – SO – 3 GS, 1-1, 1.50 ERA, 18.2 IP, 12 K's
#11 – RHP – Kelsea Dorsey – 5'4" – R-SO – 3 GP/2 GS, 1-2, 2.28 ERA, 15.1 IP, 10 K's  

Bollman & Simon Open with Big First Weekends:
Senior OF Kelsey Bollman and junior 3B/DP Cate Simon opened their 2014 seasons with a smash last weekend, with each posting a +.400 batting average, scoring a combined five times and totaling a pair of doubles and three home runs between them.
 
Bollman reached base in all five games and closed the weekend on a three-game hitting streak, while Simon logged the team's first four-RBI game of 2014.
 
First Things First:
The Bulldog softball team finally gets its chance to join its peers in the Truman athletic department, as 2014 kicks off a new era for the program as members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The 16-team GLVC awaits Truman, with the Bulldogs looking to build on last season's 29-win campaign.
 
The Bulldogs will have their work cut out for them in the new league, as the GLVC has filled at least half of the region's spots in each of the last five seasons, having sent teams to the super-regional round in both 2012 and 2013. The league's history has built in recent years, behind a conference-best 13 NCAA appearances by Lewis (Ill.), and followed by six from Indianapolis. The UIndy Greyhounds advanced to the super-regional last year, falling in the deciding game of the best-of-3 series to Grand Valley (Mich.) State.
 
With all 16 league programs sponsoring the required core sport of softball, the conference is split into two divisions – the East and the West. Truman will compete in the West division, joining fellow Missouri schools Drury, Maryville, Missouri S&T, Missouri-St. Louis, Rockhurst and William Jewell, along with Quincy (Ill.) to make up the eight-team side. The remaining eight schools – Bellarmine (Ky.), Illinois-Springfield, Indianapolis, Lewis (Ill.), McKendree (Ill.), Saint Joseph's (Ind.), Southern Indiana, and Wisconsin-Parkside – will make up the eight-team East division.
 
The top three teams from each division, along with two wild card teams, will qualify for the eight-team conference tournament following the end of the regular season. The tournament will be seeded 1-8, with the winner of each division earning the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds based on winning percentage. The double-elimination event is held at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria, Ill., and will commence this season on May 2-4.
 
The Bulldogs will play 18 league doubleheaders during the regular season, matching both home and away against fellow "pod" programs Quincy, Missouri-St. Louis and Maryville. Truman will play each of the other 12 schools one-time each, with the home opener set for March 7th against McKendree (Ill.). Other home dates are scheduled against Illinois-Springfield (March 8), Missouri S&T and Drury (March 29-30), Southern Indiana and Bellarmine (April 12-13), Quincy (April 22) and Missouri-St. Louis and Maryville to end the regular season on April 26-27.
 
After the GLVC-opening pair of doubleheaders, the Bulldogs will hit the road for five league twinbills, starting on March 15 and running through March 26 against Lewis, UW-Parkside, Maryville, Missouri-St. Louis and Quincy. Two sets of April road trips will take the 'Dogs through Rockhurst (April 5) and William Jewell (April 6), along with Indianapolis (April 18) and Saint Joseph's (April 19).
 
History Against the GLVC:
The Bulldogs boast a winning record against all but two GLVC programs (1-1 vs. Lewis; 0-0 vs. McKendree) for a combined all-time record of 133-73 against current conference teams. A high number of contests have come against local rival Quincy (32-25) and former MIAA programs Missouri S&T (27-17) and Missouri-St. Louis (32-18).
 
Last season, the Bulldogs opened the season by going 3-0 against QU, MU and UIndy at the Alabama-Huntsville tournament before splitting a March doubleheader at UMSL.
 
Bulldogs Picked Third in GLVC West Preseason Poll:
The Bulldogs will kick off its inaugural season as a GLVC member having been picked third in the West division in the league's preseason poll. Selected by all 16 conference coaches, the preseason poll landed Truman (89 points) just three points behind second-place William Jewell (Mo.) in the West division, with both squads trailing preseason favorite Missouri-St. Louis. UMSL, who claimed its first-ever GLVC Championship last season en route to a spot in the NCAA Midwest Regional, received 120 points and was the league's unanimous selection to win the West. Drury (Mo.), Quincy (Ill.), Missouri S&T, Rockhurst (Mo.), and Maryville (Mo.) round out the eight-team West division.
 
Bats Set New Highs in 2013:
This year's Bulldog squad will look to build off last season's record-setting pace at the plate, as the 2013 edition of Truman softball tied the school record in runs scored with 272 while setting new highs in home runs (52), batting average (.317), and slugging percentage (.487).
 
Up Next:
The Bulldogs travel for the third and final weekend of pre-conference tournament play next week, starting with a doubleheader at Southwest Baptist (Mo.) on Thursday afternoon before traveling to the Missouri Southern Mathis-Zenner Invite on Saturday (March 1) and Sunday (March 2).

Four more former MIAA rivals will be on the docket, as Truman will battle Nebraska-Kearney and Emporia (Kan.) State on Saturday before taking on Northwest Missouri and Pittsburg (Kan.) State on Sunday.
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