WARRENSBURG, Mo. (March 9, 2021) - Central Missouri Softball will host Nebraska-Kearney in the Jennies first MIAA doubleheader of the season.
Opponent:
Nebraska-Kearney Lopers (8-6, 0-0 MIAA)
When:
Wednesday, March 10th at 12:00 p.m.
Where:
Jennies Field -
South Recreation Complex - Warrensburg, Mo.
Leading Off:
• Central Missouri's MIAA opener has been slightly altered due to inclement weather.
• Originally scheduled to face Fort Hays State on Friday, March 12th, for UCM's first league match up, the Jennies will instead take on Nebraska-Kearney on Wednesday, March 10th for their MIAA season opener.
• The Lopers were originally scheduled to face Lincoln in their league opener and will now open MIAA competition against the Jennies instead. Nebraska-Kearney has posted an 8-6 record against non-conference competition so far this season.
• Central Missouri is coming off a 2-0 sweep over William Jewell in the Jennies home opener last Sunday. The Jennies earned their first five-inning victory of the season in game one beating the Cardinals 11-5 and then recorded their second shutout of the season winning 4-0 in game two.
• The games will be both the Jennies and the Lopers first MIAA contest of the season.
Jennie Notes:
• Through eight games played, Central Missouri's pitching staff and defense lead the MIAA in both categories.
• Central Missouri's team ERA of 1.56 ranks firth in the league and is one of the top-25 team ERA's in Division II. The Jennies defense ranks at the top of the MIAA and ranks fourth in the nation with a .994 fielding percentage.
• Central Missouri currently leads Division II with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 9.00 after recorded 45 strikeouts and only allowing 5 walks in 42 innings.
• For the second consecutive week, the Jennies pitching staff has lead the nation in strikeout-to-walk-ratio with 45 strikeouts and just 5 walks so far this season. Central Missouri's .79 WHIP ratio also ranks fourth in Division II.
• The Jennies pitching staff is currently lead by senior
Gentry Wishard and sophomore
Paige Petefish. Wishard ranks third in the MIAA with the team-best ERA of 0.57 while Petefish ranks third in the league with the team-low .170 opposing batting average and fifth with a 1.40 ERA.
• Offensively, UCM ranks eighth in the league with a team batting average of .306. In total, the Jennies have scored 37 runs scored with 60 hits, 36 strikeouts, 22 walks, 27 RBI and post a team on-base percentage of .377.
• Central Missouri's starting shortstop
Abbey Fischer continues to lead the Jennies in the box with a team-high batting average (.429), slugging percentage (.714), and on-base percentage (.536).
• The leadoff hitter also leads UCM in total bases (15), runs scored (6), walks (6), and doubles (4).
• Starting right fielder
Ashlyn Cook leads UCM with 9 hits and 7 RBI with a .409 batting average. Cook also leads the Jennies with 5 stolen bases on 5 attempts.
• The Jennies are ranked second in the league in stolen bases with 20-21.
Scouting the Opposition:
Nebraska-Kearney Lopers (8-6, 0-0 MIAA)
• The Lopers were off to a 4-6 start to their season before picking up four straight wins at the Drury Invitational.
• Nebraska-Kearney's currently leads the MIAA with 124 hits and is tied in second with 86 runs scored. The Lopers also have 76 RBI, 64 strikeouts and 42 walks for a team batting average of .312 and post a team on-base percentage of .379
• The Lopers pitching staff posts a team ERA of 5.27 which ranks 10th in the league. They have also allowed a league-high 138 hits.
• Starting center fielder Carlee Liesch leads the Lopers in the box with a .418 batting average. Liesch also posts the team-high hits (23), runs scored (12), and stolen bases 9).
• Lopers shortstop Abbie Vodicka has 19 hits on the young season and leads UNK with 7 doubles. Left fielder Bri Healy leads with Lopers with 15 RBI with 5 homeruns and 3 doubles in 13 total hits.
• Melissa Gellermann leads the UNK pitching staff with a 2.97 ERA. The senior also leads the Lopers with 24 strikeouts while allowing 40 hits, 18 runs, and 11 walks.
• Kelsey Goodban joins Gellermann with 30 innings pitched so far this season. Goodban has allowed 36 hits, 23 runs, and 7 walks with 23 strikeouts and posts an ERA of 4.90.
• Nebraska-Kearney went 4-0 in its last outing at the Drury Invitational, which included an 11-0, five inning win over William Jewell.
• The Lopers defeated Drury 6-4 in their last game. Bri Healy, first basemen Hailey Schaneman and second basemen Kaylee Schutte each recorded 2 hits while Abbie Vodicka and catcher Avery Wood led UNK with 2 RBI each.
• Kelsey Goodban earned her fourth win of the season against the Panthers throwing 5 innings with 7 hits, 3 runs, and 1 walk allowed while striking out 6.
Series History vs. the Lopers:
• Wednesday's doubleheader will be the 24th and 25th match ups between UCM and UNK.
• Central Missouri has won seven of the last 10 meetings and lead the all-time series 16-8.
• The Lopers were one of two MIAA teams the Jennies faced before the NCAA shutdown. The league doubleheader resulted in a 1-1 draw in Kearney with UNK winning game one 6-1 and UCM taking game two 7-5.
• Head Coach
Susan Anderson is 15-3 all-time against the Lopers.
Individual Milestones:
• Head Coach
Susan Anderson recorded her 600th career win in the Jennies 3-1 extra innings victory over Truman State in UCM's fourth game of the season.
• Sophomore
Ashlyn Cook is 5 hits away from her career 100th.
• Junior third baseman
Jessica Sader is 11 put outs away from her career 100th and 15 hits away from her career 100th.
Last Time Out:
WARRENSBURG, Mo. (March 7, 2021) - Central Missouri Softball picked up two victories over William Jewell in its season home opener. The Jennies totaled 20 hits and scored 15 runs in 12 innings against the Cardinals.
• Central Missouri's 10 RBI in game one are also a season-high for the Jens.
• The Jennies recorded season-high performances in runs scored, hits, RBI, walks, and homeruns.
• First basemen
Makenzie McAtee led the UCM offense on the day with five hits in five at bats.
• Freshman
Bailee Bryant recorded her first career hits.
•
Sydney Wellshear's and McAtee's dingers in game one were UCM's first homeruns of the season.
• Shortstop
Abbey Fischer led the Jennies in extra base hits with a double in each game.
• Central Missouri's pitching staff didn't have a walk in either game.
•
Gentry Wishard now leads the UCM pitching staff with a 2-0 record while
Paige Petefish is now 2-1 on the season.
GAME 1 - Central Missouri 11, William Jewell 3 (5 innings)
• Central Missouri recorded a season-high 11 hits and scored a season-high 11 runs in a 11-3, five inning victory in game one.
• Jennies leadoff
Abbey Fischer started the UCM offense in the bottom of the first with a double through the left side. Fischer was hit home on a sacrifice fly by left fielder
Ashlyn Cook for the first score of the game.
• The Jennies took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second as
Makenzie McAtee sailed one over the center field fence for her first homerun of the season.
• A UCM fielding error in the top of the third allowed William Jewell to plate its first run. The Cardinals finished the third inning with hit hits and left one runner in scoring position.
• A suicide bunt from Cook in the bottom of the third scored
Aubrie McRoberts to give UCM a 3-1 lead heading into the top of the fourth.
• The Cardinals opened the fourth inning with back-to-back bombs over center field. With no outs,
Paige Petefish came in to relieve
Kyleigh Lay in the circle. Petefish and the UCM defense shutdown three Cardinal hitters in a row to move into the bottom of the fourth inning with a 3-3 draw.
• Central Missouri really opened things up in the bottom of the fourth, scoring eight runs off seven hits.
• A double to left field by center fielder
Bailey Fowler was followed with a bunted single by third basemen
Jessica Sader. With two runners in scoring position, McAtee singled to center field, scoring Fowler and pinch runner
Peyton Corrigan to regain the UCM lead. McAtee then found her way home on a sacrifice fly by catcher
Taylor Nickel.
•
Brenlyn McCoy, Cook,
Sydney Wellshear, and
Bailee Bryant accounted for UCM's remaining hits in the fourth inning, including a two-run homerun over left field by the designated player Wellshear.
• The Jennies defense recorded three consecutive outs in the top of the fifth to defeat William Jewell in five innings, 11-3.
• Central Missouri out-hit the Cardinals 11-5 with five different players accounting for William Jewell's hits.
• The Jennies also totaled a season-high six stolen bases.
• Central Missouri left a season-low one runner on base.
GAME 2 - Central Missouri 4, William Jewell 0
• The Jennies recorded their second shutout of the season with a 4-0 victory over William Jewell in game two.
• Four different Jennies scored UCM's four runs in four separate innings.
• Central Missouri scored its first run in the bottom of the second as the freshman designed player
Bailee Bryant doubled to center with two runners on, scoring
Bailey Fowler.
• Second basemen
Brenlyn McCoy drove home UCM's second run with an infield hit to the right side with runner on second and third. Central Missouri left a game-high three runners on as the bottom of the fourth came to an end.
• Bryant recorded her second RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly out to center field that would score
Sydney Wellshear from third. Jennies led 3-0 moving into the top of the sixth.
• A single through the right side by
Ashlyn Cook scored
Brenlyn McCoy for the Jennies final run of the game.
•
Sadie Parks relieved starting pitcher
Gentry Wishard to through the final outs of the game. Shortstop
Abbey Fischer threw the first two Cardinals out at first, then Parks earned the third out on her own with a strikeout. Jennies win 4-0.
• Central Missouri out-hit William Jewell 9-4 but left a season-high 10 runners on base.
• The Jennies recorded a season-high six walks.
Season Notes:
• Central Missouri was able to squeeze 17 games in before the NCAA's cancelation of the remaining spring sport season in March 2020. The Jennies went 11-6 overall and 3-1 in MIAA competition.
• The Jennies were selected fourth in the 2021 MIAA Coaches Preseason Poll with 138 total points.
• A total of 15 Jennies return from last year's squad which includes eight position starters. Central Missouri graduated four seniors last spring, including center fielder
Lauryn Deer who led the Jennies with 24 runs scored and 12 stolen bases last season.
• Central Missouri welcomed six newcomers to the 2021 Jennies softball team.
• The 2021 season marks Head Coach
Susan Anderson's 15th season leading Jennies Softball. She posts a 415-305 record at UCM and a 596-477 overall record in her 23rd year as a head coach.
