(LEBANON, Ill., Apr. 22) – McKendree softball (27-18, 13-9 GLVC) continues Great Lakes Valley Conference play with its final road trip of the regular season this weekend. Heading to Rolla, Mo. to take Missouri S&T on Sunday, April 23 and Springfield, Mo. to face Drury (19-28, 6-16 GLVC) on Monday, April 24, game one of both doubleheaders is set for a noon first pitch.
McKendree Quick Hits
-The Bearcats currently sit in fifth place in the GLVC standings, looking to make back-to-back trips to the GLVC tournament. The top eight teams in the standings will earn an appearance in the GLVC tournament, set to take place in East Peoria, Ill. on May 4-6.
-This weekend's games will concluded a 12-game road trip for the Bearcats. McK has gone 6-2 during the stretch away from Bearcat Field, while going 9-7 on the season as the visiting team.
-McK ranks second in the GLVC in stolen bases (93) and walks (124), ranks fourth in homers (31), runs scored (216) and RBI (189), as well as sixth in batting average (.282).
-The Bearcat pitching staff leads the conference recording 268 strikeouts and ranks sixth with a 2.81 team ERA.
-Senior Jamie Doggendorf (Dittmer, Mo./Northwest) continues to add to the single-season record for stolen bases. With six swipes last weekend against St. Joe's, Doggendorf leads the conference with 34 stolen bags which also ranks 22nd nationally.
-Right-hander Holly Magre (Festus, Mo./St. Pius X) ranks 62nd nationally, fifth in the GLVC, in strikeouts (119) and 44th in DII, second in GLVC, in strikeouts per seven innings (7.1).
-Sophomore Maci Ingram (Woodlawn, Ill./Nashville Community ) ranks among the top relievers in the nation and the GLVC. Ingram with five saves ranks fifth nationally and second in the conference.
-Senior Hanna Branch (Kirkwood, Mo./Kirkwood) is the latest name added to the record watch list. The Kirkwood, Mo. native currently has 41 career doubles and needs two to become the new all-time leader.
Scouting the Miners
Missouri S&T enters the weekend 18-27 overall and 10-12 in the GLVC. The Lady Miners currently ride a three-game losing streak and sit just outside the top eight in the GLVC standings. Last weekend S&T went 1-3 in conference play which included a split with Maryville, following a pair of losses to UMSL. Monica Weiss leads the squad in batting average hitting .364, while Savannah Fedorchak has driven in a team-high 27 runs. In the circle, Avery English leads the way with a 9-13 record, while posting a 2.64 ERA.
Scouting the Panthers
Drury is 19-28 overall and 6-16 in the conference. The Panthers picked up a split last weekend with Maryville, before being swept by UMSL. Kelley Conway leads the squad with a .329 batting average and .422 on-base percentage. Taylor Ellestad has played all 47 games for DU posting a .315 batting average, while leading the team with 14 doubles. In the circle, Jessica Kjeldgaard posts a 10-15 record appearing in 33 games, starting in 25, and posts a 3.08 ERA in 177 innings of work.
