Scene Setter...The Jennies softball team (23-15, 11-7 MIAA) will play four games this week against the Bearcats of Southwest Baptist in a pair of doubleheaders on Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12. The Friday double-dip will begin at 2 p.m. in Bolivar, Mo., while the twinbill on Saturday is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch in Warrensburg. The doubleheader on Saturday are non-conference matchups.
UCM won four of its six games last week, sweeping Lincoln and splitting with Washburn and Lindenwood. The Jennies opened the week at 11-7 in conference play, tied for third in the MIAA with Missouri Western.
Junior utility player
Jakki Prater hit .500 (10-for-20) last week with two home runs, setting the Jennies' single-season home run record with 17 (passing Rachel Adams' 16 in 2006). In addition, her 50 RBI this season is second-most in a season by a Jennie, trailing Beth Savage's 60 RBI in 1995. She needs just five RBI to become the program's all-time leader, trailing Sue Weihs' 124. Prater also needs three home runs to pass
Kelli Kurka's 30 to move into first on UCM's all-time list. She carries a six-game hitting streak coming into the week.
Sophomore
Emily King and freshman
Lindsey Dawson turned in solid weeks as well. King hit .471 (8-of-17) with a homerun, six RBI and five doubles, while Dawson batted .444 (8-for-18) with three RBI and five runs scored. King has hit safely in her last seven games.
In the circle last week, junior
Katie Shockley went 2-0 with a 0.87 ERA, limiting opposing hitters to 10 hits in 10 1/3 innings (.256 opp. average) and allowing just one run.
With two wins on Friday in Bolivar, the team can pass their total from a season ago and reach the program's highest road win total (11) since the 2009 season.
Scouting the Opponent:Southwest Baptist BearcatsOverall Record entering the weekend: 12-22, 5-13 MIAA
Key hitters: Addie Murders (.342, 6 RBI's, 15 runs, 2B, three SB's in 73 at-bats), Caitlyn Cooner (.340, seven HR's, 25 RBI's, 18 runs, six 2B's, four 3B's in 100 at-bats), Amanda Smith (.300, four RBI's, six 2B's, 3B, two SB's, 15 runs in 50 at-bats).
Key pitcher(s): Kyra Parker (4.53 ERA, 6-8 record, 103.1 IP, 70 K's, 11 CG's).
Team stats: Batting average - .250, Opponents - .283
Head Coach: Jim Flora (first season, 12-22 record)
Series HistorySouthwest Baptist: The Jennies lead the all-time series, 73-16. The Jennies swept the season series last year, winning, 14-2 in five innings and 5-4 in Bolivar. UCM has won nine-straight games against SBU on the road. The Jennies have lost three of the past four meetings in Warrensburg and two in a row. Overall, UCM has come out victorious in five of the past seven meetings.
Non-Conference Games Central Missouri has been 794-581 in non-conference games since 1972, the beginning of softball at UCM. In the 'NCAA/MIAA Era' the Jennies have compiled a 650-458 non-conference mark. Anderson has a 122-110 record in non-conference contests. This season, UCM is 12-8 against non-conference opponents.
Conference Games Central Missouri has posted a 248-143 MIAA mark since the inception of the conference in 1983. Under Anderson the Jennies are 87-51 in conference action. The Jennies are 11-7 in conference action in 2014.
Home Field Advantage Since the 1977 season, Central Missouri is 358-159 at home. Under Anderson, the Jennies are 71-29 at home. UCM has gone undefeated in the 2007 (8-0), 1991 (13-0), 1989 (8-0), and 1979 (6-0). UCM is 7-3 in home games this season.
On the Road Since 1977, UCM has posted a 228-208 mark on the road and a 431-321 record at neutral sites. Under Anderson the Jennies have gone 70-65 on the road and 84-80 at neutral sites. This season, the Jennies are 9-6 in road games and 7-6 in neutral site games.
Inside the NumbersThrough 38 games the Jennies are hitting .322 as a team, while their opponents are batting .284. The last time the Jennies hit at least .300 as a team for an entire season was 2010 when they hit .302. This season, five Jennies (
Lindsey Dawson,
Jakki Prater,
Braylyn Bivens,
Alex Groeger and
Lauren Mabe) are hitting .300 or better, one more than the team had last season. Dawson leads with a .402 average.
Prater needs seven homeruns to set the new MIAA individual record of 23 by Emporia State's Megan Davison back in 2006.
Since March 18, the Jennies have lowered their team ERA from 5.25 to 4.40. UCM is 14-0 when leading after six innings and have won just once in 14 tries when they trail after six innings. In the first inning this season, UCM has outscored its opponents, 46-26. Pitchers
Jakki Prater (14) and
Katie Shockley (8) have accounted for 22 of the Jennies' 23 wins (
Jessica Wilkes has the other win). Prater entered the season with 12 career victories, while Shockley began the campaign with eight career wins.
Central Missouri has hit 74 doubles after recording just 53 a season ago.
Jennies in the MIAA StatisticsThe Jennies are second in team batting in the MIAA with an average of .322, third in stolen bases (58), third in slugging percentage (.510), third in on-base percentage (.389), tied for second in runs (153) and are first in doubles (74).
Jennies Picked Seventh in MIAA Preseason Coaches PollThe Jennies softball team is predicted to finish seventh in the 2014 MIAA preseason poll as picked by the league coaches. The Jennies received 95 total points in the poll, which was released Friday, January 31.
Central MIssouri finished the 2013 season with a 24-22 record, 14-14 in MIAA competition. The Jennies return 10 players, headlined by 2013 second-team All-MIAA infielder
Braylyn Bivens.
Central Oklahoma was a unanimous selection to repeat as regular season MIAA champions, receiving all 13 possible first-place votes. The Bronchos totaled 169 points in the preseason poll. Missouri Western received the other first-place vote, totaling 156 points to finish second. Fort Hays State (138 points), Emporia State (130) and Northeastern State (115) round out the top five.
A Tradition of Excellence in the Athletic Arena• At the conclusion of the fall 2013 athletic season, Central Missouri has won a combined 193 MIAA regular-season conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.
• During the 2012-13 school year UCM captured three MIAA regular season and one tournament championship.
• Since 1983, the tenure of Athletic Director
Jerry Hughes, UCM has won or shared 139 MIAA championships, more than any other league school.
• Central Missouri has won five national championships since 1980 (men's and women's basketball in 1984, baseball in 1994 and 2003, and women's bowling in 2003) and seven national championships overall.
A Tradition of Excellence in the Classroom• The 550 Central Missouri student-athletes received 375 Academic Awards from the MIAA office for the 2012-13 academic year.
• 305 UCM student-athletes were named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
• 37 UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Scholar Athletes with at least a 3.5 GPA and having earned all-MIAA honors in their respective sport.
• 33 UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Academic Excellence Award winners with a 4.0 GPA.
• UCM had eight student-athletes earn Academic All-America honors in their respective sports, including Brent Vogel being named the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for Men's Track & Field.
Upcoming Schedule... The Jennies will pay a visit to Emporia State on Tuesday, April 15 for a 4 p.m. doubleheader before closing out the regular season with an eight-game homestand on April 25 and 26 against Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State, respectively.
