Weekly Notes | Live stats for Baker | Live stats for SBU not available | Live stats for UCM

Up First . . .
The Washburn Lady Blues return to action on April 20 for the first time since April 9 when they will host Baker at 3 p.m. at the Washburn Softball Complex. Following the game with the Wildcats, Washburn will return to action facing Southwest Baptist on April 22 and Central Missouri on April 23. Washburn is in 10th place in the conference standings. The Lady Blues have ten games remaining to close out the season and reach to the top eight in the conference standings to reach the conference tournament May 8-10 in Kansas City.

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 249-213 (.538) 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 2006 and 2008. 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 . . .
Baker is 26-18 and 13-7 in the NAIA Heart of America Conference. Baker has dropped its last two games after they were swept at Central Methodist on April 17.
Southwest Baptist is 5-19 and 3-11 in the MIAA. The Bearcats will take on Newman on April 19 before hosting the lady Blues on April 22.
Central Missouri is 21-19 and 6-6 in the MIAA. The Jennies will face Missouri Western on April 19 and Fort Hays State on April 22 before taking on the Lady Blues.

Series history. . .
• Washburn leads the all-time series 21-3 with Baker. Washburn has won the last four in the series and have not lost to the Wildcats since a 6-2 loss on April 27, 2005 in Topeka. Lady Blues head coach Lisa Carey is 4-1 all-time against the Wildcats.
• Washburn leads the all-time series with Southwest Baptist 39-7 after topping SBU earlier this season on March 18 5-1 at the first MIAA Crossover in Springfield. Washburn has won the last two meetings. Carey is 17-3 against Southwest Baptist.
• Central Missouri leads the all-time series with the Lady Blues 32-38 and has won the last four and 10 of the last 12 overall. The Jennies topped the Lady Blues earlier this season 4-2 on March 18 in Springfield. Carey is 10-13 all-time against the Jennies.

Who's on deck? . . .
After facing the Jennies on April 23, Washburn will face Nebraska-Omaha on April 27 in a make up game from earlier this season.

Last time out for the Lady Blues. . .
April 9
Game 1 - MSSU 9 WU 0 (5 innings) | Game 2 - MSSU 9, WU 1 (5 innings)
JOPLIN, Mo. -- The Washburn Lady Blues fell in a pair of 5-inning games at Missouri Southern on Saturday falling 9-0 and 9-1 dropping to 12-22 overall and 3-9 in MIAA play.
In the opener, Missouri Southern (19-16, 4-4 MIAA) did the majority of its damage in the third inning building on a 1-0 lead by sending 13 batters to the plate scoring eight runs on eight hits, which was more than enough offense for the Lions as Washburn was limited to two hits by Lions starter Nicole Reed. Lauren Himpel picked up a third inning single while Britny Cushing led off the fifth with a single.  The Lions chased Washburn starter Kelsie Novotny (7-10) in the third inning.
In the second game the Lions sent Reed back to the circle where she had a perfect game going through 4 and 1/3 innings until Cusing ended the no-no with a home run to left. Reed (15-4) struck out eight in the second game. The Lions scored four in the bottom of the first sending 10 to the plate and added four more in the second inning before adding a solo run in the fifth inning.

Player notes . . .
1 • Britny Cushing • Batted a team-high .400 last week with 6 hits in 15 at bats with one home run and 3 RBI.
2 • Lindsey Himpel • Has been relegated to pinch hitting and running the remainder of the season with arm injury.
4 • Katie Schroeder • Tied for the team lead with four runs scored last week.
5 • Lauren Himpel • Has raised her career batting average to .302 starting 83 career games.
7 • Kacy Covert • Appeared in four games last week swiping one base.
8 • Marissa Martin • Has started 93 career games playing in 112 in her junior season.
10 • Marisa Tetuan • Hit .267 last week with four hits and an RBI while drawing three walks.
13 • Lindsey Moore • Hit .357 last week with five hits and four runs scored while driving in a team-high four.
16 • Jessie McGown • Appeared in two games last week.
17 • Paige Hightower • Recorded two at bats last week and was hit by a pitch.
18 • Jacque Horejsi • Recorded an RBI and two walks last week.
20 • Kelsie Novotny • Struck out six last week in 10 and 1/3 innings pitched.
21 • Danielle Fox • Recorded 12 strikeouts in 20 and 2/3 innings pitched last week.
22 • Shelby Erickson • Recorded three hits and a double last week batting .200.
23 • Alex Zordel • Finished last week with 3 RBI while scoring two runs with a double.
25 • Hilary Weatherford • Has started 32 games batting .300 this season with three home runs.