Weekly Notes | Live stats for both games

Up First . . .
The Washburn Lady Blues will open MIAA play this weekend beginning a 10-game conference home stand on Friday playing host to Northwest Missouri and nationally-ranked Nebraska-Omaha the following day. Northwest will enter the weekend with an 11-7 overall record while UNO is 19-5 entering a March 23rd doubleheader with Upper Iowa before opening conference play at Fort Hays State on March 25th. The Lady Blues are coming off a 4-4 week sweeping a doubleheader with Texas A&M-International before going 2-4 at the MIAA Crossover in Springfield, Mo.

In the dugout . . .
Lisa Carey, the all-time winingest coach at Washburn, is in her ninth season in the Lady Blues' dugout. She was named the program's 13th coach Aug. 14, 2002 and has recorded a 246-204 (.563) mark during her Washburn tenure.  The former University of Oklahoma three-time All-American and National Champion has led the Lady Blues to two of the three NCAA Division II tournament appearances in school history making the trips in two of the last five seasons. She has led the Lady Blues to two of the three NCAA appearances in school history. In eight seasons at the helm of the program, she has coached 52 Lady Blues to all-MIAA honors, seven all-region team selections, the 2007 MIAA Freshman of the Year, the 2009 MIAA Most Valuable Player, 49 MIAA Academic Honor Roll award winners as well as an ESPN The Magazine Academic all-district selection.

A look at the opponents . . .
The Bearcats are 11-7 overall and have dropped their last two games by 5-4 counts at the MIAA Crossover where they went 2-2. The Bearcats blanked Pittsburg State 6-0 and Missouri Southern 8-0 on the first day of the Crossover. Nebraska-Omaha is 19-5 entering a pair of games with Upper Iowa on March 23rd prior to opening MIAA play at Fort Hays State on Friday. UNO was 5-1oat the MIAA Crossover with the lone loss coming to Emporia State. The Mavericks were ranked No. 23 in the March 16th NFCA Top 25 coaches poll.

Series history. . .
• The Lady Blues lead the all-time series with the Bearcats 43-24 and have won the last three games including eight of the last nine games. Washburn has outscored the Bearcats 32-12 in the last three games.
• Nebraska-Omaha leads the all-time series with the Lady Blues 26-8. UNO has won the last four in the series. UNO has outscored Washburn 14-4 in the last four games.

Who's on deck? . . .
Washburn returns to action on April 1 hosting Missouri Western at 3 p.m. and Emporia State on April 2.

Last time out for the Lady Blues. . .
March 18 - MIAA Crossover Day 1
Game 1 - Washburn 5, Southwest Baptist 1 Game 2 - Central Missouri 4, Washburn 2
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Washburn Lady Blues split their first day of action at the MIAA March Crossover going 1-1 topping Southwest Baptist 5-1 before falling to Central Missouri 4-2 in the late game.
In the opener, Washburn scored two runs in the top of the second taking advantage of three Bearcat walks, including a bases loaded walk drawn by Hilary Weatherford sending Kacy Covert home. Lauren Himpel was later hit by a pitch with the bases jammed and picked up an RBI as Katie Schroeder scored. Schroeder had the only hit for the Lady Blues in the inning with a single through the left side. Jacque Horejsi picked up a pair of RBI in the top of the fifth staking Washburn to a 4-1 lead and Marissa Martin had an RBI in the top of the seventh scoring Lauren Himpel. Kelsie Novotny (4-3) picked up the win striking out seven scattering nine hits. Alex Zordel had three walks in the game and Martin added two stolen bases.
In the 4-2 loss to Central Missouri, Washburn jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first inning as Washburn strung together four singles with Shelby Erickson and Lauren Himpel picking up an RBI each driving in Zordel and Weatherford. However after a second inning pitching change by the Jennies, Washburn picked up only six more hits stranding 11 base runners as the Jennies scored two runs in the fifth and the sixth innings to take the win. Washburn outhit the Jennies 10 to 6 in the game as Lauren Himpel finished with three hits in the game. Danielle Fox (4-7) took the loss allowing six hits and striking out seven.
March 19 - MIAA Crossover Day 2
Game 1 - Washburn 9, Missouri Southern 7 | Game 2 - Pittsburg State 2, Washburn 0
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- For the second straight day the Lady Blues softball team won their opener and fell in the nightcap at the MIAA Crossover topping Missouri 9-7 while falling to Pittsburg State 2-0.
In the first game, Washburn scored four runs in the top of the seventh to take a 9-5 lead and held off a Lion rally for the 9-7 win over Missouri Southern. In the seventh inning, Washburn took advantage of a lead off walk by Hilary Weatherford. Shelby Erickson doubled to left sending Weatherford to third and she scored on a sac fly by Lauren Himpel. Jacque Horejsi singled to left scoring Erickson. Britny Cushing singled and Paige Hightower was hit by a ptich, as was Katie Schroeder with the bases loaded and Alex Zordel drew a bases loaded walk to put Washburn up 9-5. Missouri Southern scored two in the sevneth, both on solo home runs but did not score any more. Kelsie Novotny (5-3) picked up the win in relief pitching the final four innings. Cushing had a three-run home run in the third inning and finished with two hits as did Lauren Himpel and Weatherford. In all Washburn pounded out 11 hits.
In the second game, Washburn was limited to two hits as Weatherford had a single in the second inning to keep her 13-game hitting streak alive and Marisa Tetuan had a single in the fourth as the final 11 Washburn hitters were retired. The game actually ended with two outs and Washburn batting as lightning came along with rains as the game was called at that point with two strikes on Washburn's Erickson. Novotny took the loss.
March 20 - MIAA Crossover Day 3
Game 1 - Emporia State 14, Washburn 3 | Game 2 - Lincoln 1, Washburn 0
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Washburn Lady Blues softball team wrapped up the final day of the MIAA Crossover falling to Emporia State 14-3 while dropping a 1-0 decision to Lincoln.
In the first game with Emporia State, the Hornets topped the Lady Blues for the 23rd straight time in the 14-3 win. ESU jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two innings, but Washburn cut the lead to 5-2 after three innings on Marisa Tetuan's first collegiate home run scoring Marissa Martin who walked to reach base. ESU countered with four runs in the top of the fourth before Washburn scored a run in the bottom of the fifth on a sac fly by Hilary Weatherford scoring Tetuan who walked. ESU added five more in the sixth to take the run-rule game. Danielle Fox (4-8) took the loss allowing seven earned runs. Tetuan drove in two runs in the game while scoring two from the lead-off position.
In the second game, Washburn outhit the Blue Tigers 9 to 7, but stranded eight base runners in the 1-0 loss to Lincoln. Washburn was led by Lauren Himpel's three hits while Marissa Martin had two hits. Kelsie Novotny (4-7) struck out four with no walks allowing the one unearned run in the fifth inning for Lincoln.

Player notes . . .
1 • Britny Cushing • Six of 12 reaching base as a leadoff batter this season.
2 • Lindsey Himpel • Enters weekend play with 96 career hits.
4 • Katie Schroeder • Has a team-high 14 hits with runners on base going 14 of 32 (.438 batting average).
5 • Lauren Himpel • Batted .476 last week with 10 hits in 21 at bats with 4 RBI.
7 • Kacy Covert • Batting .500 with two outs going 6 of 12.
8 • Marissa Martin • Tied for second on the team with eight runs scored.
10 • Marisa Tetuan • Hit .455 last week with 5 hits in 11 at bats.
13 • Lindsey Moore • Returned to action last week with five at bats and 1/3 inning pitched.
16 • Jessie McGown • Appeared in one game last week scoring one run.
17 • Paige Hightower • Had one at bat and was hit by a pitch.
18 • Jacque Horejsi • Had four hits and 4 RBI scoring a run in eight lgames last week.
20 • Kelsie Novotny • Recorded a 1.70 ERA with three complete games in 33 innings pitched.
21 • Danielle Fox • Was 1-2 last week with a 1-hit shutout against Texas A&M-International.
22 • Shelby Erickson • Had a team-high 24 at bats last week batting 2.50 with three doubles.
23 • Alex Zordel • Was 6 of 20 batting .300 with a team-high seven walks during the week.
25 • Hilary Weatherford • Scored a team-high six runs last with and 6 RBI last week batting .348 going 8 of 23.