Jennies to Play Eight in the Sunshine State

Last Time Out
WARRENSBURG, Mo. - Central Missouri's offense displayed some firepower, in a doubleheader sweep of Fort Hays State. UCM plated nine runs in both games, winning 9-0 in game one and 9-1 in game two in their home and MIAA opener.
    Jakki Prater and Jessica Wilkes picked up wins for the Jens in the circle. For Prater, she improves to 4-2 on the season, and for Wilkes, the win is her first decision in 2015.
The Jens smashed three home runs over the two games. Allie Dishinger hit her team leading third, while Lindsey Dawson and Prater each picked up their first. Dawson finished the day 4-for-6 with a double, home run and seven RBI.
    The Jennies scored in each of the first four innings to jump out early on FHSU. Prater's two-run home run in the first got the scoring started and Dawson followed with a three-run shot to make it 5-0 after two.
    Katie Giacone doubled down the left field line to drive in Mabe, pushing the lead to 6-0 after three. UCM scored three more in the fourth on Dawson's two RBI double to left center and Lauren Mabe capped the scoring with a single to right.
    Prater earned her fourth win pitching five innings and allowing just three hits, all singles. She also struck out four and didn't allow a walk.
    Like the first game, the Jennies scored quickly, getting a run across in the bottom of the first. It was Dawson again, picking up the RBI on a single up the middle to score Ali Jo Rogers who walked and stole second.
    The Jens picked up five runs in the third, three on Dishinger's three-run homer to center to push UCM ahead 6-0.
    Fort Hays finally got on the board in the top of the fourth as Tori Beltz lined one over the center field fence for the Tigers' first hit and run of the ball game.
    UCM answered with a run in the bottom half of the frame as Dawson picked up her seventh RBI of the day with a single. The Jen's then ended the game early as Alex Leonhart and Madison Hood each drove in a run in the bottom half of the fifth, putting UCM up eight, 9-1.
    Wilkes picked up her first win of the season, throwing a one-hitter over five innings. She allowed just the one earned run while strikeing out two and walking one.
    Four Jennies collected multiple hits, Rogers, Dawson, Dishinger and Leonhart all finished with two apiece. Dishinger led the team with three RBI and Rogers scored three runs.
    Against Nebraska-Kearney, the Jennies softball team extended its win streak to four games on Sunday afternoon, downing the Lopers 6-5 and 6-1
    UCM's senior pitchers Jessica Wilkes (2-0) and Katie Shockley (2-3) both picked up victories on the day. Shockley tossed a complete game in the second of the twinbill, a run on four hits, striking out six Lopers while issuing two walks. Sophomore Lindsey Dawson went 3-for-7 with three RBI and a run scored in both games. The three RBI bumped her weekend total to 10, after driving in seven runs in a pair of victories against Fort Hays State on Saturday.
    The Lopers got on the scoreboard in the top of the first on an RBI groundout from Kate Ruwe.
    UCM evened the score in the bottom half of the inning after Ali Jo Rogers scored on a fielder's choice after leading off with a single and swiping a pair of bases.
    A three-run second inning for the Lopers gave Nebraska-Kearney a 4-1 lead courtesy of a two-run triple and an RBI single, but the Jennies would get two of those runs back in the bottom of the fourth. Freshman Katie Giacone reached base on a throwing error by the shortstop and scored on a double to left center by Madison Hood, cutting the deficit to 4-2. Three batters later with runners on the corners, Dawson singled to left, driving in Hood from third to pull the Jennies to within 4-3.
    In the top of the fifth, Nebraska-Kearney tacked on its fifth run via a RBI double down the right field line from Ruwe.
    The Jennies completed the comeback in the bottom of the fifth inning, plating three runs. Lauren Mabe and Allie Dishinger both singled and with one out, advanced a base after Giacone grounded out. Hood, then came through with a two-out, two run double to tie the game at 5.
    Alex Leonhart pinch-hit for Amanda Nally and singled up the middle, plating Hood to give the Jennies a 6-5 lead after five innings.
    Wilkes earned her second victory of the season, pitching 2 2/3 innings in relief. She did not allow a run and yielded just two hits. She struck out one.
    For the second straight game, Nebraska-Kearney took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first with runners on second and third on a bunt single from Ruwe to UCM's starting pitcher, Katie Shockley,
    In the bottom of the second inning, Dishinger led off with a single and was replaced for pinch-runner, Austin Eickleberry. Eickleberry stole second before Hood struck out. She advanced to third on an groundout and later scored on a two-out single by Carlie Rose, tying the game at 1-1.
    The Jennies picked up a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 3-1 lead. Rogers led off with a single then stole second and moved to third on a throwing error by the catcher on the stolen base attempt. Rogers then scored on an RBI single by Dawson, to make it 2-1. Prater and Mabe followed with singles, plating Dawson to give the Jennies the two-run advantage.
    The Jennies received some breathing room in the bottom of the fourth. After the first two batters were retired, Rose walked and advanced to second on a single by Nally. A wild pitch advanced both runners up a base and later scored on a two-run single by Rogers, who advanced to second base on the throw, putting the Jennies up, 5-1.
    Dawson, the next batter, made it a 6-1 ballgame on an RBI single.
    Shockley retired nine in a row, striking out five Lopers in the process, to earn her second win of the season.
    The Jennies' 1-through-3 hitters went a combined 6-for-9 with three RBI and three runs scored in Game 2.
    UCM is off to their best conference start (4-0) since the 2011 season when they opened MIAA play with five straight wins.

Quick Hits
Anderson vs. the Mustangs
The only team Jennies Head Coach Susan Anderson has faced in a UCM uniform has been Southwest Minnesota State. She's gone 1-1 against the Mustangs, taking a 1-0 win in their last matchup in 2009.

Dawson's Big Weekend
Sophomore Lindsey Dawson drove in 10 runs over the weekend. She was 7-for-13 with a double and first home run of the season. Dawson entered the game with only two RBI in the first nine games of the season.

Lightning at the Top
The one Jennie who was a key to Dawson's big weekend, was Ali Jo Rogers. Rogers, the Jennies lead-off hitter, was 7-for-11 (.636) over the weekend and also drew two walks. She was a perfect 7-for-7 stealing bases and scored nine runs, most of the time being driven inby Dawson hitting behind her.

Coming Off the Bench
Everyone was getting involved in the offensive outburst over the weekend. Though they didn't get many at bats, Madison Hood, Alex Leonhart, and Katie Giacone made the most of their opportunities. Hood and Leonhart were both 3-for-7 (.429) and combined for six RBI. All three of Hood's hits went for doubles and she scored a pair of runs. Giacone was 2-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI.

A Hit a Day
Rogers' hot play didn't just start last weekend. She's currently riding a team-best eight game hitting streak. During that stretch, she's hitting .500 (12-for-24) with four multiple hit games, has 12 runs scored and has stolen 10 bases. Her eight game streak is tied for the second longest since Braylyn Bivens had a 15 game hitting streak in 2013.

Dawson is also riding a streak of her own. She's reached base in 10 straight games, all 10 that she's played in. She has a hit in nine of those 10 games and and RBI in four straight. Dating back to the end of 2014, shes has reached base in 13 straight games.

Wilkes for Two
Senior pitcher Jessica Wilkes picked up her first two wins of the season this past weekend. First, she pitched a 5 inning complete game, allowing one run on one hit in a 9-1 win over Fort Hays State. The next day, Wilkes came on in relief and kept Nebraska-Kearney from scoring a run, allowing the Jennies to complete the 6-5 come-from-behind win. In total, she appeared in two games, pitching 7.2 innings allowing three hits and one run while striking out three and walking one.

Prater Gets the Whiffs
Senior Jakki Prater leads the Jennies pitching staff in most statistical categories. She has four wins and a 2.44 ERA with 41 strikeouts, all three are team bests. Her 41 strikeouts have come in just 43 innings pitched for a 6.67 strikeouts/7 innings ratio. Her 41 punch outs are tied for fourth in the MIAA and her K/7 is third.

Mabe's Return Bolsters Lineup
After missing the final three games of the Dome Tournament in St. Cloud, Lauren Mabe returned to help power the Jennies lineup. She started all four games at first base and went 6-for-12 with two double, two RBI and three runs scored.

Getting Defensive
The Jennies defense enjoyed a successful MIAA opening, committing only one error in four games. Since starting the season with six errors in three games, UCM has committed only eight in the next 10 and only one in their last five.

Preseason Ranking
The Jennies were picked to finish fourth in the MIAA Preseason Poll. In 2014, they finished fifth overall and had eight All-MIAA student-athletes.

Jennies in the Postseason
UCM went back to the MIAA Championships in 2014 after missing out in 2013. The Jennies went 27-23 in 2014 with a 14-12 MIAA record. They went 0-2 in the postseason with losses to Emporia State and Fort Hays State.

Jennies at Neutral Sites
The Jennies are back for their third early season, neutral-site tournament. They've gone 3-5 in such games over the first two. They were 2-2 at the Arkansas Monticello Eight-State Classic and 1-3 in road games at the Kelly Laas Memorial Tournament, hosted by St. Cloud State.

Jennies on the Road
UCM concludes it's trip to Florida with a true road doubleheader at Rollins. They Jennies have only played one true road game thus far in 2015, they beat St. Cloud State at the Kelly Laas Memorial Tournament 4-1. The Jennies were 10-9 on the road in 2014.

Scouting the Opposition
Minot State
Series History: This will be the first ever meeting between Central Missouri and Minot State. The Beavers softball program started back in 1971 and have a 525-317 overall program record.

Scouting Report: The Beavers are riding an eight game winning streak and come to Florida with an 11-2 record. Minot State is led by their three-headed monster in their lineup, of three athletes batting over .400. Jordan Grant leads the Beavers with a .490 batting average. She's also the team leader in runs scored (14) and stolen bases (9). Rachel Burdette (.436) and Melissa Bell (.422) are the other two
Beavers with an average above .400. They both have also slugged three home runs each. Also entering with three home runs is Ali Cygan who also leads the team with 17 RBI. In the circle, Mindy Lorimor leads the staff with an 8-2 record and 2.16 ERA. She has struck out 50 batters in 58.1 innings while walking only nine and holding batters to a .209 batting average against.

Urbana
Series History: The Jennies and Blue Knights have not previously met. The Urbana University softball program started back in 1993.

Scouting Report: Urbana is off to a 2-4 record to start the 2015 season. They'll also play two more games before their bout with the Jennies. Madeline Phillips has been the Blue Knights most consistent pitcher. She's 1-2 with a 5.50 ERA while striking out nine in 14 innings. Katelyn Edwards leads the offensive attack. She's hitting .438 and has the only home run on the season. Margo Jackson and Kimberly Corcoran share the team lead with four RBI. Caitlyn Stoner has a .500 on base percentage with eight hits in 14 at bats and four walks.

Northwood
Series History: This marks the first ever meeting between these two teams. The Timberwolves have a 662-694 record in their softball program history since 1983.

Scouting Report: The Timberwolves' season is starting in Florida. Their season opener was Mar. 6 and they've gone 1-8 in their nine games so far. Northwood started 0-8 before picking up a win in its last game against Indiana (PA), a 4-3 win in eight innings. Jessica Tostrud is the team's leading hitter, checking in with a .321/.424/.357 slash line. She's tied for the team lead with nine hits and has a team-high five runs scored. Lindsay Obremski is the only Timberwolves to put one over the fence this season. She has two home runs and a team leading five RBI. Runs have come at a premium for Northwood, they've scored just 19 runs in nine games. Vanessa Ewing has the team's only win in the circle. She's 1-3 with a 3.29 ERA in 27.2 innings of work. She's also struck out 42 batters for a 10.63 K/7 ratio.

Southwest Minnesota State
Series History: Although it's only three games, SMSU is the only opponent the Jennies will face in Florida whom they have played before. The two teams last met in 2009, also in Florida, a 1-0 win for the Jennies. All-time the Mustangs hold a 2-1 advantage over UCM.

Scouting Report: The Mustangs have won their last three games as of writing this (they have three more games before meeting UCM, Friday). The Mustangs were picked to finish 11th in the Northern Sun. Alex O'Conner leads the Mustang's staff with five wins. She's 5-2 with a 2.39 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 38 innings pitched. Katelyn Kalkman is hitting .395 and getting on base at a .465 clip. SMSU likes to play small ball, as they are yet to hit a home run but have outscored opponents 69-49. Part of their success has been their 25 stolen-bases and .376 team on base percentage.

Sioux Falls
Series History: March 15 will be the first ever meeting between the Jennies and the Cougars.

Scouting Report: Coming off of a 30-win season in 2014, the most in program history, the Cougars are off to an 8-0 start in 2015. USF most recently swept a doubleheader from MIAA foe, Northeastern State. The Cougars have done an excellent job of keeping opponents off the scoreboard. Both Breanna Black and Alyson Netty are 4-0 on the year with an ERA below 3.00. Black has a 2.00 ERA in 18 IP while Netty checks in at 2.89 in 28 IP. They've also been bolstered by Shae Hoskins coming out of the bullpen. She is yet to allow a run in eight innings and has a pair of saves. USF's team ERA of 1.69 is 10th in the NCAA.

At the plate, the Cougars are hitting .330 as a team. Erin Scott has the team's best batting average at .419 while Betsy Thomas has crushed seven home runs in only 23 at bats. Her seven dingers and 15 RBI are both team highs. Her 0.88 home runs per game rank second in the NCAA and her 1.261 slugging percentage is sixth. USF is averaging more than six runs per game and average 1.88 home runs per game, fifth in Division II.

Rollins
Series History: The Jennies conclude their trip to the Sunshine State with a doubleheader in Winter Park, Fla. against the Rollins Tars. It will be the first ever meeting between the two squads.

Scouting Report: The Tars were ranked fourth in the region last season, earning a trip to the NCAA tournament where they finished 2-2, losing to topseeded Alabama-Huntsville. They've since gone 19-1 to start 2015. They have been ranked in the NFCA top-20 for the past three weeks. This week they've climbed to 15, their highest ranking yet.

Rollins pitching attack is led by Niki Fogle. She's already won 14 games, leading the NCAA and has a 1.33 ERA while striking out 83 batters in 89.2 innings. As a team, the Tars have a 1.62 ERA, eighth best in Division II.

At the plate, Brianna Lint is the reigning Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week. The freshman was 7-for-14 on the week with 11 RBI, three doubles and a triple. She had an eight RBI game against Felician College. The Tars are hitting .366 as a team. Ten athletes are already in double-digit hits and three have more than 20. Courtney Durbin has a team-leading 23 RBI with nine of 23 hits going for extra bases including three home runs. Hailee Keisling is leading the team with a .481/.576/.731 slash line. Her .576 on base percentage is 22nd in the NCAA among those with at least 20 at-bats.