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Games 24-25: Truman (18-5, 10-2 GLVC) at Quincy (12-16, 4-8 GLVC)
Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 (2:00 & 4:00 pm)
Location: Quincy, Ill. || Mart Heinen Softball Complex
Weather Forecast: Sunny, High 52, Winds 8-18 mph
Live Stats: Quincy
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Series Record: Truman leads, 32-25.
Last Meeting: Truman won, 6-1, on Feb. 16, 2013, in Decatur, Ala.
Series Streak: Truman, W-1
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Games 26-27: Missouri S&T (3-14, 2-8 GLVC) at Truman
Strike Out Cancer Day
Date: Saturday, March 29, 2014 (12:00 & 2:00 pm)
Location: Kirksville, Mo. || Bulldog Softball Park
Weather Forecast (as of Tuesday): Sunny, High 57.
Live Stats: Truman
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Series Record: Truman leads, 27-17.
Last Meeting: S&T won, 6-1, on Feb. 21, 2009, in Huntsville, Ala.
Series Streak: S&T, W-1
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Games 28-29: Drury (7-17, 4-6 GLVC) at Truman
Date: Sunday, March 30, 2014 (12:00 & 2:00 pm)
Location: Kirksville, Mo. || Bulldog Softball Park
Weather Forecast (as of Tuesday): Sunny, High 70.
Live Stats: Truman
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Series Record: Truman leads, 4-2.
Last Meeting: Truman swept DH, 12-9 & 9-6, on Feb. 28, 2011, in Springfield, Mo.
Series Streak: Truman, W-2
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Social Media/Team Info: @TrumanAthletics || @TrumanSoftball || 2014 Record Book/Media Guide
Projected Batting Order
|
No. |
Pos. |
Name |
Ht. |
Yr. |
Extra |
|
#4 |
CF |
Danielle Lewellen |
5'7" |
SR |
.368 AVG; .411 OBP; 19-22 SB-SBA |
|
#3 |
2B |
Andrea Klipsch |
5'6" |
JR |
.425 AVG, 6 2B, 2 HR, 20 RBI |
|
#12 |
RF |
Kelsey Bollman |
5'8" |
SR |
.481 AVG, 1.234 OPS, 10 XBH, 22 runs, 21 RBI |
|
#15 |
3B |
Cate Simon |
5'9" |
JR |
.424 AVG, 1.313 OPS, 6 2B, 6 HR, 20 RBI |
|
#6 |
SS |
Jessica VanNostrand |
5'6" |
SR |
.305 AVG, 7 2B, 2 HR, 17 RBI |
|
#8 |
1B |
Liz Leath |
5'8" |
JR |
.342 AVG, 7 2B, 15 runs, 16 RBI |
|
#5 |
C |
Alexis VanNostrand |
5'6" |
FR |
.315 AVG, 2 2B, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 1.000 FLD% |
|
#21 |
DP |
Whitney Richardson |
5'6" |
SO |
.224 AVG, 5 2B, 2 HR, 15 RBI |
|
#13 |
LF |
Ally McReynolds |
5'9" |
JR |
.229 AVG, 11 runs, 15 BB/HBP, 5 SB |
Starting Pitching
|
No. |
Pos. |
Name |
Ht. |
Yr. |
Extra |
|
#19 |
RHP |
Kindra Henze |
6'1" |
SO |
13 APP/12 GS, 10-2 record, 0.57 ERA, 81 SO |
|
#11 |
RHP |
Kelsea Dorsey |
5'4" |
r-SO |
12 APP/11 GS, 8-3 record, 1.98 ERA, 70 SO |
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Off the Bench
|
No. |
Pos. |
Name |
Ht. |
Yr. |
Extra |
|
#1 |
OF |
Nikki Moss |
5'1" |
SO |
8 GP, 4 runs, 1 SB |
|
#2 |
SS |
Corey Niblett |
5'1" |
SR |
11 GP/5 GS, .250 AVG, 1 3B, 3 RBI, 1 SB |
|
#7 |
OF |
Hannah Wehar |
5'3" |
JR |
13 GP/4 GS, 4 runs, 1 RBI, 1 SB |
|
#10 |
UT |
Haley Wells |
5'5" |
FR |
4 GP, 3 runs |
|
#17 |
OF |
Kelsey Jacques |
5'4" |
SO |
10 GP, 6 runs, 1 2B |
|
#20 |
C/1B |
Caroline Gatti |
5'10" |
r-FR |
6 GP/5 GS, .267 AVG, 1 2B, 1.000 FLD% |
Staff
Head Coach: Erin Brown
Division II Career Record: 162-196 || .453 || 8th season (all at Truman)
GLVC Record: 10-2 || .833 || 1st season
Assistant Coach: Cathy Monroe (8th season)
Athletic Trainer: Cassie DeBlauw (6th season)
The First Pitch:
Looking to rebound after suffering its first losses in more than a month, the Truman softball team (18-5, 10-2 GLVC) will get back into action with three Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheaders in five days this week. The Bulldogs travel to arch-rival Quincy on Wednesday afternoon for two before returning to the Bulldog Softball Park this Saturday and Sunday to host Missouri S&T and Drury.
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The Bulldogs sit in second place in the GLVC West Division after last weekend's 2-2 trip through St. Louis. Truman earned a sweep at Maryville (12-0 & 5-1) on Saturday, March 22, but fell in a pair of one-run decisions at No. 13 Mo.-St. Louis (2-1 & 8-7). The Bulldogs hit .314 as a team during the weekend trip with seven doubles, three home runs and a triple, while the pitching staff posted a 2.49 ERA to go alongside 33 strikeouts in 25 innings pitched.
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This week, Truman will look to re-start a winning streak after amassing the second-longest streak in school history earlier this season with three other West Division foes. After Wednesday afternoon's doubleheader at QU, the Bulldogs will play their third and fourth home doubleheaders of the year on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's DH against Missouri S&T has been designated the team's "Strike Out Cancer" day, with t-shirts and other fundraising opportunities in place to raise awareness for cancer research.
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Erin Brown is in her eighth season at the helm of the Bulldog program, having compiled a 162-196 record at her alma mater. The club's recent 16-game win streak was the longest under her tenure.
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Bulldogs on Top of Multiple GLVC Stat Categories:
Truman finds itself ranked in the top-three of eight GLVC team stat categories, including holding the top slot in four different rankings through last weekend's games.
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|
Category |
National Ranking |
GLVC Ranking |
Value |
|
ERA |
6 |
1 |
1.25 |
|
Fielding % |
15 |
1 |
.972 |
|
Runs/game |
16 |
1 |
6.74 |
|
Batting Average |
17 |
1 |
.341 |
|
Slugging % |
17 |
2 |
.518 |
|
Doubles/game |
19 |
2 |
1.87 |
|
Stolen Bases/game |
38 |
2 |
1.61 |
|
Home Runs/game |
33 |
3 |
.91 |
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In addition, multiple Truman players have reached top levels both nationally and at the conference-level as a result of their early season efforts.
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|
Category |
Player |
National Ranking |
GLVC Ranking |
Value |
|
Batting Average |
K. Bollman |
22 |
1 |
.481 |
|
A. Klipsch |
 |
3 |
.425 |
|
C. Simon |
 |
4 |
.424 |
|
ERA |
K. Henze |
8 |
1 |
0.57 |
|
K. Dorsey |
 |
8 |
1.98 |
|
Home Runs |
C. Simon |
66 |
1 |
6 |
|
On-base Percentage |
C. Simon |
53 |
2 |
.525 |
|
K. Bollman |
 |
3 |
.512 |
|
A. Klipsch |
 |
5 |
.488 |
|
Shutouts |
K. Henze |
T-1 |
1 |
8 |
|
Slugging Percentage |
C. Simon |
 |
2 |
.788 |
|
K. Bollman |
 |
5 |
.722 |
|
Stolen Bases/game |
D. Lewellen |
9 |
1 |
.90 |
|
Strikeouts |
K. Henze |
38 |
4 |
81 |
|
K. Dorsey |
56 |
5 |
70 |
|
Wins |
K. Henze |
40 |
1 |
10 |
|
K. Dorsey |
 |
4 |
8 |
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Great Lakes Valley Athletes of the Week:
|
 |
Player of the Week |
Pitcher of the Week |
|
Date |
Name |
School |
Name |
School |
|
Feb. 17 |
Rachel Scrum |
Quincy |
Hannah Perryman |
Missouri-St. Louis |
|
Feb. 24 |
Kelsey Morgan |
William Jewell |
Kindra Henze |
Truman |
|
March 3 |
Molly Manietta |
Illinois Springfield |
Murphi Armstrong |
Quncy |
|
March 10 |
Samantha Riss |
Illinois Springfield |
Kindra Henze |
Truman |
|
March 18 |
Andrea Klipsch |
Truman |
Kindra Henze* |
Truman |
|
March 24 |
Jena Boudreau |
Missouri-St. Louis |
Hannah Perryman |
Missouri-St. Louis |
*-Named National Pitcher of the Week by the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association
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These Bats are on Fire:
After tying the school record in runs and setting new standards in home runs, batting average, and slugging percentage in 2013, the 2014 squad is on pace to smash long-standing offensive and defensive single-season records once again.
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This year's team is on pace to score 330 runs (current high: 272), log 467 hits (CH: 463), tally 292 RBI (CH: 249), and record 709 total bases (CH: 680). In addition, the club is hitting .341 as a team so far (CH: .317), while the pitching staff is on pace for 326 strikeouts (CH: 326).
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M.C. Grand Slammer Time:
Liz Leath's grand slam in the in the fourth inning of game two at UMSL on Sunday was the Bulldogs' first of the season. However, it was the second of Leath's career, as she also brought home four on April 10, 2012 against Lindenwood.
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The Bulldogs have hit 16 grand slams as a team since the start of the 2000 season, including eight in the last five seasons.
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Bulldogs Edging Close to Top-25:
In last week's NFCA top-25 coaches' poll, the Bulldogs sat just two spots outside the final spot, having garnered 26 votes. Truman was 12 points back of Dixie (Colo.) State's 38, which was good for 25th in this week's listing.
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Only one GLVC school was currently in the top-25, with UMSL sitting at No. 13. Indianapolis earned one vote.
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Wayne (Mich.) State headlined the Midwest region at No. 8, with only WSU and UMSL representing the Midwest in the top-25. Truman sat one spot ahead of Grand Valley (Mich.) State, with only the Bulldogs, GVSU Lakers, and UIndy Greyhounds receiving votes from the Midwest.
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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.
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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.
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Up Next:
The Bulldogs will have another three-doubleheader week, as Truman will play host to former MIAA-rival Northwest Missouri on Tuesday, April 1 at 2 p.m. before traveling to Rockhurst and William Jewell for GLVC West Division battles on Saturday and Sunday, April 5-6.
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