MIAA Tournament Notes

Up First . . .
The Wasburn Lady Blues return to the MIAA Championship Softball Tournament for the sixth-straight time under head coach Lisa Carey making their 20th appearance in 21 years as a member of the MIAA on Thursday when they face the top-seeded Missouri Western Griffons at 6 p.m. at the Blue Valley Sports Complex in Overland Park, Kan. The Griffons and the Lady Blues split their regular season doubleheader in Topeka with the Griffons winning the first game 7-2 before the Lady Blues won the second game 4-2. Washburn enters the tournament as the No. 8 seed. The winner/loser of the Washburn/Missouri Western game will take on the winner/loser of the Northwest Missouri/Missouri Southern game at 8 p.m. on Thursday night.

In the dugout . . .
Lisa Carey, the all-time winningest 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 255-219 (.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 first round opponent ...  
• The Griffons are the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament winning their first MIAA softball crown going 18-4 during the conference season. The Griffons are coming off sweeps of Northwest Missouri and No. 7 ranked Nebraska-Omaha.

Lady Blues all-time in the MIAA TOurnament . . .
The Lady Blues have compiled a 31-39 record in the MIAA Tournament dating back to the 1991 season. The Lady Blues are looking for their first conference tournament win since a 6-0 win over Pittsburg State on May 1, 2008 in an opening round game. Since then, Washburn has gone 0-6 at the MIAA Tournament. Head coach Lisa Carey is 6-14 in conference tourney play.
1991 • 1-2
1992 • 2-2
1993 • 1-2
1994 • 1-2 (4-1 in MIAA Interdivision play-in tournament qualifier)
1995 • 2-2
1996 • 2-2
1997 • 2-2
1998 • 3-2
1999 • 1-2
2000 • 3-2
2001 • 1-2
2002 • 2-2
2003 • 1-2
2004 • 0-2
2005 • did not qualify
2006 • 1-2
2007 • 3-2
2008 • 1-2
2009 • 0-2
2010 • 0-2

Records vs opponents at the MIAA Tournament . . .
Central Missouri • The Lady Blues are 5-5 against the Jennies.
Emporia State • The Lady Blues trail the ESU in tournament match ups 1-9 having lost the last six encounters. Washburn has not beat Emporia State in the MIAA Tournament since a 6-3 win during the 1998 tournament.
Fort Hays State • The Lady Blues have never played each other in the MIAA Tournament.
Lincoln • The Lady Blues are 2-0 against the Blue Tigers.
Missouri Southern • The Lions lead the conference tournament matchups 5-2.
Missouri Western • The Lady Blues and Griffons are 2-5 in MIAA Tournament meetings.
Nebraska-Omaha • The teams have never met in the MIAA Tournament.
Northwest Missouri • Washburn is 2-2 against the Bearcats.
Pittsburg State • The Lady Blues have played the Gorillas the most in the tournament, nine times with the series tied 5-4. The Lady Blues have won the last four meetings in tournament play.
Truman State • The Lady Blues are 3-7 against the Bulldogs and have lost four of the last five meetings in the tournament.
Southwest Baptist • The Lady Blues have won both meetings leading the series 3-0.
Teams no longer in the MIAA
Missouri-Rolla • The Lady Blues lead the meetings in the tournament 4-1.
Missouri-St. Louis • The Lady Blues are 1-2 against the Tritons in the tournament.

Facts and figures for the week that was . . .
The Lady Blues were 3-3 last week … Kacy Covert led the team with 10 hits batting .556 … Lindsey Moore hit .400 with 8 hits and 4 RBI scoring two runs … Britny Cushing had seven hits batting .368 … Katie Schroeder drove in a team-high five runs duing the week batting .300 … as a team Washburn batted .325 last week … Alex Zordel connected on two home runs during the week … Washburn opponents were a perfect 10 for 10 in stolen base opportunities … Washburn was 0-1 in stolen base chances … Washburn was outscored by its opponents 5 to 1 in the fourth inning.

Last time out for the Lady Blues. . .
May 3, 2011 - WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- The Washburn Lady Blues fell in their regular season finale 3-0 to Central Missouri. Washburn (18-28, 9-13 MIAA) will begin the MIAA Tournament on Thursday night in Overland Park, Kan., when they will face the top-seeded Missouri Western Griffons.
The Jennies scored solo runs in the first, third and fifth innings to take the 3-0 lead. Washburn was outhit 7 to 5 in the game.
Danielle Fox (8-15) took the loss giving up three earned runs while stirking out three. The Lady Blues stranded five in the game advancing only one runner past second base when Lauren Himpel doubled in the seventh inning.

Player notes . . .
1 • Britny Cushing • Was 6 for 12 last week with the bases empty.
2 • Lindsey Himpel • Has started 107 of 121 career games at Washburn scoring 61 runs.
4 • Katie Schroeder • Was 11 for 14 last week (.786) in successfully advancing base runners.
5 • Lauren Himpel • Was 2 for 5 last week reaching base as the lead off batter.
7 • Kacy Covert • Has raised her batting average 103 points between April 22 and May 1.
8 • Marissa Martin • Went 1 for 2 last week while batting with two outs.
10 • Marisa Tetuan • Was 1 for 2 last week while batting with two outs.
13 • Lindsey Moore • Was 2 for 2 with a runner on third and batting with two outs last week
16 • Jessie McGown • Has appeared in 13 games in her freshman season at Washburn recording one hit and one RBI.
17 • Paige Hightower • Was hitless in only at bat last week
18 • Jacque Horejsi • Was 2 for 5 batting as the lead off batter last week.
20 • Kelsie Novotny • Recorded a 6.5 strikeout to walk ratio last week.
21 • Danielle Fox • Averaged 5.1 strikeouts per 7 innings pitched last week.
22 • Shelby Erickson • Was 5 for 10 in advancing runners last week.
23 • Alex Zordel • Was 4 for 9 (.444) with runners on last week recording 2, two out RBI.
25 • Hilary Weatherford • Third on the team with 15 RBI this season.