Washburn Lady Blues Weekly Notes | Live stats for PSU and MSSU

Warm ups . . .
The Washburn Lady Blues will wrap up the regular season this weekend when they will play host to Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern at the Washburn Softball Complex on Friday and Saturday. The Lady Blues split a pair of MIAA doubleheaders last week at Northwest Missouri and at Truman. The Lady Blues (16-20, 7-9 MIAA) are in sixth place in the conference race. Pittsburg State is in third with a 10-6 record and Missouri Southern is in eighth. The Lions will face Southwest Baptist on Wednesday before facing Fort Hays State on Friday prior to taking on the Lady Blues. The top eight teams in the final conference standings will reach the MIAA Tournament April 26-28 in Overland Park, Kan. On Saturday before facing the Lions, the Lady Blues will honor three seniors - Kacy Covert, Britny Cushing and Lindsey Moore as they will play their final games in the Washburn Softball Complex.

Last week's action . . .
April 13 at Northwest Missouri
MARYVILLE, Mo. -- The Washburn Lady Blues dropped the first game 8-2, but came back to get a split in the MIAA doubleheader winning the nightcap 4-1.
In the opener, the Lady Blues led 1-0 after 3 1/2 innings, but the Bearcats scored one in the fourth, three in the fifth and four more in the sixth en route to an 8-2 win. Washburn took the early lead after Kristen Bell singled and then scored on an RBI double by Kacy Covert.
Washburn added another run in the fifth inning after Covert scored on an RBI double by Lindsey Moore after Covert singled to lead off the inning.
Moore (5-8) took the loss allowing eight runs while striking out six.
Alex Zordel's sixth home run of the season in the top of the third put Washburn up 4-0 following an RBI single by Katie Schroeder which scored Erin Macaronas.
The Bearcats scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the 7th.
Kayla Oldham picked up the win allowing a solo run improving to 8-9 on the season striking out five while walking one scattering four hits.    

April 17 at Truman
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. -- The Washburn Lady Blues softball team picked up an MIAA doubleheader split with the Truman Bulldogs dropping the first game 4-3 while coming back to win the nightcap 1-0 in eight innings.
In the opener, the Lady Blues jumped out to a 2-0 in their first at bat after Shelby Erickson singled to left scoring Alex Zordel and Katie Schroeder. The lead last until the bottom of the second when the Bulldogs added two unearned runs. The Bulldogs added two more in the bottom of the third taking a 4-2 lead.
The Lady Blues cut into the lead in the top of the sixth when Britny Cushing scored after a Bulldog error, but Washburn would go on to leave the bases full and go in order in the seventh dropping game one 4-3.
Lindsey Moore (5-9) allowed two earned runs while striking out two. Erickson, Zordel each had the two hits for Washburn.
In the second game, Zordel's single to right scored Kacy Covert who singled to lead off the bottom of the eighth and then moved to second on a stolen base. The solo run was the difference in the 1-0 win. Kayla Oldham (9-9) picked up the complete-game shutout allowing eight hits while striking out one Bulldog.
The Lady Blues had four hits in the game and stranded six. Schroeder, Garland, Covert and Zordel had the base hits for the Lady Blues.

Upcoming opponents. . .
Pittsburg State -  The Gorillas are 28-23 this season and 10-6 in MIAA play. They have won six of their last eight games including the last two. They were swept at Central Missouri last time out in MIAA action. Amanda DeCastro leads the team with a .452 batting average including a team-high 49 RBI. She has 14 home runs trailing Tiffany Brown who has 15 to lead PSU. In the circle, Hilary Erbert leads the squad with 13 wins (13-11) with a 3.07 ERA. Jessica Barnes is 6-5 with a team-low ERA of 2.23 in 26 appearances. The Lady Blues lead the all-time series 61-47 and have won 16 of the last 20 meetings including both MIAA contests last season winning 3-0 and 7-0.
Missouri Southern -  The Lions are 15-30 this season and 4-10 in MIAA play entering a Wednesday doubleheader with Southwest Baptist. The Lions have lost their last two games after being swept by Central Missouri on April 17. The Lions are batting .266 as a team and have a team ERA of 4.67. Breanna Volkmann leads the Lions with a .353 batting average with a team-high 47 hits. Haley Pypes is 9-8 with a 3.24 ERA.

Lady Blues player notes. . .
#1  • Britny Cushing  • UT • R/R • 5-4 • Sr.  • Topeka, Kan. • Seaman   
Has recorded 104 hits in her WU career.

#3  • Kristen Bell  • C • R/R • 5-8 • Fr.  • Lawrence, Kan. • Lawrence
Threw out two would-be base stealers in game two at Truman on Tuesday.
 
#4  • Katie Schroeder  • 2B • L/R • 5-2 • So.  • Osage City, Kan. • Osage City
Has reached base safely in each of the last seven games.

#6  • Erin Macaronas  • IF • R/R • 5-5 • Jr.  • Coffeyville, Kan. • Field Kindley • Coffeyville CC
Has appeared in 18 games this season collecting six hits while scoring six runs.

#7  • Kacy Covert  • OF • L/R • 5-5 • Sr.  • Topeka, Kan. • Shawnee Heights • Butler County CC
Leads the team with 12 multi-hit games including three 3-hit games.

#8  • Kayla Oldham  • P • R/R • 5-5 • Fr.  • Derby, Kan. • Derby
Was 2-0 last week with a 0.47 earned run average.

#9  • Haley Heincker  • 2B/OF • R/R • 5-2 • Jr.  • Derby, Kan. • Derby  • Cowley County
Has scored 13 runs this season appearing in 29 games.

#10  • Cori Munoz  • P/3B • R/R • 5-3 • Fr.  • Topeka, Kan. • Seaman  
Has a 2-2 record making 14 appearances and five starts this season.

#13  • Lindsey Moore  • IF/P • R/R • 5-7 • Sr.  • Edmond, Okla. • Edmond Memorial  
Has recorded 150 hits in her career with 35 career doubles, which is just outside the top 10 at Washburn.

#14  • Mallorie Monhollon  • UT • B/R • 5-8 • Fr.  • Topeka, Kan. • Shawnee Heights   
Has seven hits and eight runs scored playing in 25 games this season.

#15  • Leah Garland  • 1B/3B • R/R • 5-6 • Fr.  • Osage City, Kan. • Osage City
Has three hits making seven starts this season.

#17  • Paige Hightower  • 1B/C • R/R • 6-1 • So.  • Chickasha, Okla. • Chickasha
Has three hits and two runs scored this season.

#22  • Shelby Erickson  • SS • R/R • 5-6 • So.  • Perry, Kan. • Perry-Lecompton  
Batted .455 last week with five hits and 2 RBI in four games.

#23  • Alex Zordel  • 1B • R/R • 5-7 • Jr.  • Baldwin City, Kan. • Baldwin   
Had four hits, four RBI, four walks and two runs scored batting .400 last week.

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 16-20 and overall Becerra has recorded a 50-38 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 finishing with a 34-18 record.

Lady Blues softball history. . .
The Lady Blues are 1031-731-1 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 . . .
If the Lady Blues secure a position in the top eight of the final MIAA standings, they will start the postseason at the MIAA Tournament on April 26 at the Blue Valley Sports Complex in Overland Park, Kan., with the first game slated for a 6 p.m. start time.