Washburn Lady Blues Weekly Notes | WU Live Stats

Warm ups . . .
The Washburn Lady Blues will look to snap a four-game slide as they will host future MIAA foes this weekend in  Topeka. Washburn will take on Northeastern State on Friday at 2 p.m. and No. 6-ranked Central Oklahoma on Saturday at 1 p.m. Washburn will be having a softball alumni reunion on Saturday with a pregame tailgate starting at 11:30 a.m.

Last week's action . . .
March 28 vs Ottawa
TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn junior third baseman Alex Zordel was 5 for 6 with five RBI and four runs scored as the Lady Blues swept Ottawa 5-2 and 12-2.
In the opener, Zordel's grand slam in the bottom of the sixth propelled the Lady Blues to the 5-2 win. Washburn stranded eight base runners in the game. Washburn jumped on the board in the first inning when Britny Cushing singled to right scoring Zordel who singled earlier in the inning. Ottawa scored two runs in the top of the third to take the 2-1 lead. The Lady Blues left the bases loaded in the third and one on in the fifth before Zordel's game-winning home run in the fifth inning. Lindsey Moore started the game and gave up two runs while Kayla Oldham pitched three perfect innings while striking out two to improve to 6-7 on the season. Zordel was 4 for 4 in the game with the four RBI while Cushing had two hits and an RBI.
It was all Washburn in the second game as the Lady Blues improved to 13-13 on the season with the 12-2 win over the Lady Braves in the five inning win. Washburn scored two runs in its first at bat. After Zordel tripled to right scoring Katie Schroeder who led off the inning with a walk, she scored on a sac fly by Cushing. In the third inning, Zordel led off the inning with a walk and Kristen Bell singled to right scoring Zordel beginning a seven-run inning for the Lady Blues. Moore hit a three-run homer to left capping the inning taking advantage of an Ottawa error giving Washburn a 9-0 lead. Ottawa scored two in the top of the fourth inning. Washburn wrapped up the win scoring three in the bottom of the fifth with a bases-loaded triple by Schroeder to end the game. Cori Munoz scattered seven hits while striking out one to even her record at 2-2 in the circle. Schroeder drove in four runs going 2 for 3 with two runs scored. Zordel was 1 for 2 with an RBI and a run scored and Kacy Covert collected two hits while scoring a run.

March 30 at Emporia State
EMPORIA, Kan. -- The Washburn Lady Blues let a pair of late leads fall by the wayside as the No. 25-ranked Emporia State Hornets rallied in each game to win 4-3 in 11 innings and 8-4.
In the opener, the Lady Blues led 2-0 after four innings but the Hornets scored solo runs in the fifth and sixth innings to force the extra inning game. Washburn took the early lead in the third inning scoring twice. After Lindsey Moore doubled to right and Alex Zordel singled to left, Shelby Erickson doubled to right center to drive in both runs for the Lady Blues. In the fifth inning, the Hornets scored once to cut the lead in half. ESU tied the score in the sixth inning.
Washburn took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 10th inning when Moore doubled to center driving in Erin Macaronas who was placed on second to start the inning, However the Hornets tied the score in the bottom of the frame to push the game into the 11th inning. In the 11th, the Lady Blues came up empty and ESU's Taylor Zordel drove in the winning run.
Moore finished with three hits and Erickson drove in two. Moore tossed all 11 innings in the game scattering nine hits while taking the loss in the circle. Washburn stranded eight base runners in the game.
In the second game, Washburn again was up after four-plus innings of play, but let the lead slip away as the Hornets came back for the 8-4 win.
The Hornets scored one in the first inning and neither team would score until the fifth inning when the Lady Blues scored four runs capped by a three-run homer by Moore. Two batters later Erickson hit a solo home run putting Washburn up 4-1. But the Hornets scored five runs in the fifth inning chasing starter Kayla Oldham who took the loss dropping to 6-8 on the season after allowing four earned runs while striking out three. The Hornets would then add one more in the frame and then two insurance runs in the sixth leading to the 8-4 win.
Moore drove in three more runs in the game with two hits. Zordel had two hits as did Erickson. Washburn left nine on base during the game.
 
March 31 at Missouri Western
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- The Washburn Lady Blues softball team was swept in a pair of MIAA doubleheaders falling 8-0 and 9-7 to the No. 21-ranked Missouri Western Griffons.
In the opener, the Lady Blues (13-17, 5-7 MIAA) were limited offensively to a second inning leadoff single by Britny Cushing and a fifth inning single by Kristen Bell in the 8-0 loss.
The Grffons (29-6, 12-2 MIAA) scored solo runs in the third and fourth innings before breaking it open with a five-run fifth inning tallying 14 hits overall. Lindsey Moore (5-6) took the loss striking out two.
Washburn fell behind 2-0 on a pair of unearned after two of Washburn's five errors in the game. The Lady Blues scored two runs in the top of the third. After back to back singles by Kacy Covert and Katie Schroeder and were driven in by Shelby Erickson with a single to right.
The Griffons scored three unearned runs off starter Kayla Oldham (6-9) and six runs total in the bottom of the third to take an 8-2 lead. Washburn rallied with five runs in its next at bat capped by a grand slam by Lindsey Moore scoring Haley Heincker, Covert and Schroeder and Alex Zordel followed Moore's blast with a home run of her own but Washburn would get no closer as the Girffons scored another unearned run in the bottom of the sixth.
Of Oldham's nine runs allowed, only three were earned while striking out one scattering eight hits. Cushing and Erickson each had two hits in the game and Schroeder scored twice as did Covert. Washburn stranded six in the second game including four in scoring position.  

Upcoming opponents. . .
Northeastern State -  Northeastern State is 17-15 this season and lost to the Lady Blues earlier this season 10-4 at the South Central Shootout on Feb. 17 in Durant, Okla. The Riverhawks are coming off a sweep over Northwest Missouri on April 1. Counting the win in February, the Lady Blues lead the all-time series 8-6 and have won the last five games. Rachel Powers leads the team with a .352 batting average with a team-high 32 hits. Cayce Coleman is 7-4 in the circle with a 1.56 ERA.

Central Oklahoma -  UCO is 31-3 this season entering a busy week with doubleheaders at Cameron on April 3, at Fort Hays on April 6 and at Washburn on April 7. The Bronchos were ranked No. 6 in the NFCA coaches poll on March 28. UCO has won its last 29 games entering the twinbill with Cameron.  They are batting .378 as a team while recording a 2.99 team ERA. Kacie Edwards leads five Bronchos batters who are hitting above .400 with a .479 average with 13 home runs, 55 RBI and 58 hits.

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
Has started all 30 games at catcher for the Lady Blues.
 
#4  • Katie Schroeder  • 2B • L/R • 5-2 • So.  • Osage City, Kan. • Osage City
Second on the team with 102 at bats this season.

#6  • Erin Macaronas  • IF • R/R • 5-5 • Jr.  • Coffeyville, Kan. • Field Kindley • Coffeyville CC
Had a hit and scored a run in four games last week.

#7  • Kacy Covert  • OF • L/R • 5-5 • Sr.  • Topeka, Kan. • Shawnee Heights • Butler County CC
Was 7 of 18 last week with four runs scored for a .389 batting average.

#8  • Kayla Oldham  • P • R/R • 5-5 • Fr.  • Derby, Kan. • Derby
Only seven of her 14 runs allowed last week in three appearances were earned.

#9  • Haley Heincker  • 2B/OF • R/R • 5-2 • Jr.  • Derby, Kan. • Derby  • Cowley County
Scored one run last week playing four games.

#10  • Cori Munoz  • P/3B • R/R • 5-3 • Fr.  • Topeka, Kan. • Seaman  
Was 1-0 last week with a complete game win over Ottawa.

#13  • Lindsey Moore  • IF/P • R/R • 5-7 • Sr.  • Edmond, Okla. • Edmond Memorial  
Drove in 11 Lady Blues last week in six games batting .349 with three home runs and eight hits.

#14  • Mallorie Monhollon  • UT • B/R • 5-8 • Fr.  • Topeka, Kan. • Shawnee Heights   
One for four last week in three games scoring a run.

#15  • Leah Garland  • 1B/3B • R/R • 5-6 • Fr.  • Osage City, Kan. • Osage City
Recorded a hit and scored a run in three games last week.

#17  • Paige Hightower  • 1B/C • R/R • 6-1 • So.  • Chickasha, Okla. • Chickasha
Recorded a hit and a run scored in three games last week.

#22  • Shelby Erickson  • SS • R/R • 5-6 • So.  • Perry, Kan. • Perry-Lecompton  
Batted .333 with seven hits, a double and a home run while driving in four last week in six games.

#23  • Alex Zordel  • 1B • R/R • 5-7 • Jr.  • Baldwin City, Kan. • Baldwin   
Batted .474 with two home runs, six RBI and six runs scored with a .947 slugging percentage 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 13-17 and overall Becerra has recorded a 47-35 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.

Blue Notes. . .
Kacy Covert has two more hits (34) this season than she did in her junior season (32) in 12 fewer games … Lindsey Moore needs four more hits to reach 150 for her career and seven more at bats to reach 500 in a Lady Blues uniform.

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. There will be a pregame tailgate sponsored by the Washburn Alumni Association (free for members - $5 for non-members) beginning at 11:30 a.m.

Lady Blues softball history. . .
The Lady Blues are 1028-728-1 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 MIAA play with road games at Northwest Missouri on April 13 and at Truman on April 14. The Lady Blues will return home on April 20 to face Pittsburg State and then they will wrap up the regular season against Missouri Southern on April 21 and honor Lindsey Moore, Britny Cushing and Kacy Covert as part of senior day activities.