Washburn Lady Blues Weekly Notes

Warm ups . . .
The Washburn Lady Blues softball team returns to action with six games over three days including the home opener as they will host Southwest Baptist on March 16 at 2 p.m. at the Washburn Softball Complex. The Lady Blues will host Central Missouri on Saturday and then travel on Sunday to face Wayne State (Neb.) in non-conference action. Washburn (3-11, 0-2 MIAA) is coming off a weekend sweep by Fort Hays State on March 10.

Last week's action . . .
HAYS, Kan. -- The Washburn Lady Blues softball team was swept in their first MIAA games of the season as they fell 6-5 and 5-2 to Fort Hays State.
In the opener, Washburn took an early 1-0 in the top of the third inning when Lindsey Moore doubled to left scoring Kacy Covert who led off the inning with a triple. Washburn added four more in the fourth inning after Covert singled and Moore connected on a 3-run homer putting Washburn up 4-0. The Tigers scored three runs in the fourth inning to cut the lead to one and then took the lead with three runs in the fifth inning to cap the 6-5 win. Moore finished with 4 RBI and took the loss in the circle as the Tigers scored four unearned runs.
In the second game, Washburn took an early 2-0 lead after two innings, but the Tigers rallied to score five in the fifth inning leading to the 5-2 win. Moore picked up one RBI in the first and the Lady Blues' other RBI in the second inning. Katie Schroeder had two hits in the game along with Moore.

Upcoming opponents. . .
Southwest Baptist -  The Bearcats are 5-11 this season and 0-4 in MIAA play. SBU will host Wisconsin-Parkside on Tuesday before facing Washburn on Friday and Fort Hays State the following day. SBU has a team ERA of 6.63 while batting a combined .261 this season. Jennifer Martinez is batting .333 in 12 games while Kassy Williamson leads the team with 16 hits and 10 runs scored batting .327. Jessica Colliver has started eight games in the circle going 2-7 with 29 stikeouts in 50 innings pitched. Washburn leads the all-time series with the Bearcats 41-7 and have won the last four games.

Central Missouri -  The Jennies are 9-11 entering a March 14th match up with Rockhurst. UCM is batting .248 this season and has a team ERA of 4.10. Jakki Prater leads the team with 19 hits and 12 RBI. Katie Shockley is 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA. The Jennies lead the all-time series 42-35 and the Jennies won two of three meetings last season.

Wayne State -  The Wildcats are 7-3 this season. They are batting .313 as a team and they are led by Dani Sandel who has 16 hits and 10 runs scored with a .576 slugging percentage. The Wildcats have a team ERA of 2.04. The Wildcats are going to have a busy week with doubleheaders against Northwest Missouri on March 13 and Missouri Western on March 14 and then they will have three games on March 17 before facing the Lady Blues on March 18. The Lady Blues lead the all-time sereis 12-7 and have won the last six games. The Wildcats' last win over the Lady Blues as on March 16, 1994 in a 9-0 win.

Lady Blues player notes. . .
#1  • Britny Cushing  • UT • R/R • 5-4 • Sr.  • Topeka, Kan. • Seaman   
Has started 110 of 127 career games at Washburn.

#3  • Kristen Bell  • C • R/R • 5-8 • Fr.  • Lawrence, Kan. • Lawrence
Scored a run and collected a hit against Fort Hays State last time out.
 
#4  • Katie Schroeder  • 2B • L/R • 5-2 • So.  • Osage City, Kan. • Osage City
Ten runs scored this season is four shy of her total from her freshman season.

#6  • Erin Macaronas  • IF • R/R • 5-5 • Jr.  • Coffeyville, Kan. • Field Kindley • Coffeyville CC
Has appeared in three games scoring a run against Southeastern Oklahoma entering the game as a pinch runner.

#7  • Kacy Covert  • OF • L/R • 5-5 • Sr.  • Topeka, Kan. • Shawnee Heights • Butler County CC
Batted .500 last week with three hits in six at bats scoring three runs - all against Fort Hays State.

#8  • Kayla Oldham  • P • R/R • 5-5 • Fr.  • Derby, Kan. • Derby
Recorded a 1.5 ERA last week in 4 2/3 innings pitched.

#9  • Haley Heincker  • 2B/OF • R/R • 5-2 • Jr.  • Derby, Kan. • Derby  • Cowley County
Batting .273 this season playing in 12 games.  

#10  • Cori Munoz  • P/3B • R/R • 5-3 • Fr.  • Topeka, Kan. • Seaman  
Has struck out six in 22 innings pitched this season.  

#13  • Lindsey Moore  • IF/P • R/R • 5-7 • Sr.  • Edmond, Okla. • Edmond Memorial  
Had six of the Lady Blues seven RBI last weekend at Fort Hays State batting .500 with four hits in two games.

#14  • Mallorie Monhollon  • UT • B/R • 5-8 • Fr.  • Topeka, Kan. • Shawnee Heights   
Tied for the team lead with 11 RBI.

#15  • Leah Garland  • 1B/3B • R/R • 5-6 • Fr.  • Osage City, Kan. • Osage City
Has not appeared in any games this season.  

#17  • Paige Hightower  • 1B/C • R/R • 6-1 • So.  • Chickasha, Okla. • Chickasha
Batting .222 collecting two hits in nine at bats.  

#22  • Shelby Erickson  • SS • R/R • 5-6 • So.  • Perry, Kan. • Perry-Lecompton  
Second on the team with 31 assists.

#23  • Alex Zordel  • 1B • R/R • 5-7 • Jr.  • Baldwin City, Kan. • Baldwin   
Team's leading hitter with 15 hits in 44 at bats recoring a .341 batting average.

In the dugout . . .
Vanessa Becerra was named the Washburn Lady Blues head softball coach on Aug. 3, 2011 after spending four seasons at Metro State in Denver, Colo., with the final season coming as the head coach. At Washburn she is 3-11 and overall Becerra has recorded a 37-29 mark in her second year as a head coach.
In her lone season as the head coach at Metro State, Becerra led the Roadrunners the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular season championship while advancing to the NCAA regional tournament for the third straight season.

Alumni reunion planned . . .
Looking to get former Lady Blues involved with the softball program, head coach Vanessa Becerra has planned an Alumni Day on April 7, 2012 when the Lady Blues will face Central Oklahoma at 1 p.m. Details will be posted both in the weekly releases as well as online at www.wusports.com as they become available.

Lady Blues softball history. . .
The Lady Blues are 1018-722-1 in their 43rd year of softball. The Lady Blues have made three NCAA Tournament appearances (1999, 2006, 2008) while winning the 2002 regular season MIAA title.

Up Next . . .
Washburn returns to action at Lincoln on March 23 and then will take on Lindenwood in a pair of non-conference games before returning home on March 28 to face Ottawa.