(LEBANON, Ill., March 15) – The McKendree University softball team will be back in action Thursday, March 16 after a 10-day break due to inclement weather, forcing the cancelation and postponement of games.
The Bearcats are set to host Kentucky Wesleyan College for their home opener on Thursday, March 16 in a non-conference doubleheader slated to begin a 3 p.m. McKendree heads into the first weekend of Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) play Saturday, March 18 at Maryville, before taking on University of Missouri-St. Louis on Sunday, March 19. Both games are scheduled doubleheaders with first pitch at noon.
McKENDREE QUICK HITS:
-McKendree enters the weekend 11-8 overall.
-McKendree has won six of their last 10 games.
-Offensively, the Bearcats have outscored their opponents 105-73.
-McKendree ranks 55th in the nation and fourth in the conference in home runs per game at 0.74.
-The Bearcats rank in the top 10 percent of NCAA DII teams in stolen bases per game at 2.11, while that number ranks them in the top spot of the GLVC.
-McKendree has stolen at least one base in their last six games, while in four of those games the Bearcats have stolen two or more bags.
-Senior right-hander Holly Magre (Festus, Mo./St. Pius X) has thrown three shutouts this season, which ranks her 17th nationally and second in the GLVC.
-Senior Jamie Doggendorf (Dittmer, Mo./Northwest) leads the conference and ranks 25th in the nation with a 0.74 stolen bases per game mark.
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS: Kentucky Wesleyan enters the week 13-7 overall. The Panthers have not played a game since March 3, when they wrapped up games at the PFX Spring Games in Clermont, Fla. The Panthers went 6-2 over the five day stretch of games. The Panthers post a team batting average of .308, while the pitching staff boasts a 3.07 ERA.
SCOUTING THE SAINTS: Maryville enters the week at 9-9 overall and wraps up weekday play Wednesday, March 15 against Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Last season the Saints posted a 39-16 record while going 20-10 in GLVC play. The Saints were picked to finish seventh, just behind the Bearcats, in GLVC Softball Preseason Poll. Maryville enters the weekend posting a team batting average .259, while the pitching staff holds a 2.44 ERA.
SCOUTING THE TRITONS: University of Missouri-St. Louis enters the week at 18-6 overall and is currently ranked 17th in the latest NFCA Top 25 polls. The Tritons were picked to finish third in the GLVC while receiving three first place votes in the preseason conference polls. UMSL boasts a .303 batting average, which ranks fourth in the conference. With a team ERA of 2.54, UMSL's pitching staff ranks among the top 25% in Division II. Individually, Serena Olsen ranks 24th nationally and leads the GLVC with 27 RBIs, while also ranking 10th in the nation with eight home runs. On the rubber, Carly Kingery ranks second in the conference and 17th in the nation recording three shutouts.
