WARRENSBURG, Mo. (April 8, 2021) - Central Missouri Softball continues league play on the road with a doubleheader against the Hornets Friday afternoon in Emporia.
Opponents:
Emporia State Hornets (14-14, 4-6 MIAA)
When:
Friday, April 9th - 3 and 5 p.m.
Where:
Trusluer Sports Complex - Emporia Kan.
Leading Off:
• The Jennies are coming off a 2-0 sweep against Northwest Missouri earlier this week.
• Central Missouri defeated the Bearcats 5-2 in game one then took game two 13-3. The Jennies 13 runs in game two was the most second-most scored by the Jennies this season and the most runs allowed by the Bearcat defense.
• Emporia State went 1-3 last weekend in league play. The Hornets fell to Northwest Missouri 4-5 and 2-12, then split with Missouri Western winning game one 4-3 and falling 3-9 in game two.
• With a league record of 4-6, Emporia State currently ranks 10th in the MIAA while the Jennies rank fifth in the league with an MIAA record of 8-4.
• Both games will also be webcast online through the MIAA's Blue Frame portal at http://www.themiaanetwork.com/ucmmules/.
• Links to live stats and live video can also be found at ucmathletics.com.
Schedule Update:
Central Missouri was originally scheduled to face Washburn on Saturday, April 10th in Topeka, Kan. Due to NCAA COVID-19 protocols, The Jennies doubleheader against Washburn has been postponed and rescheduled for Wednesday, April 28th.
Jennie Notes:
• Central Missouri's offense currently leads the MIAA with a .346 batting average and a .564 slugging percentage.
• Through 28 games the Jennies have recorded 252 hits, 157 runs scored, 138 RBI and 69 walks. Among UCM's 252 hits, 95 of them have been for extra bases with 60 doubles, five triples, and 30 home runs.
• The Jennies 252 hits ranks 10th in Division II while their 60 total doubles leads the MIAA and their 2.14 doubles per game ranks sixth in Division II.
• Three Jennies currently rank in the league's top-10 hitters lead by
Bailey Fowler who's hitting .436 to rank third in the MIAA.
Ashlyn Cook ranks fifth in the league with a .413 batting average while
Abbey Fischer ranks sixth hitting .409.
• Center fielder Fowler also leads the UCM offense in runs scored (28), walks (14), and doubles (14). She also posts the team-high slugging percentage of .738 which ranks sixth in the MIAA and the team-best on-base percentage at .495 which ranks seventh. Fowler's 14 doubles leads the league and ranks second in Division II.
• Jennies leadoff hitter Fischer leads UCM with 14 stollen bases and ranks eighth in the league with a team-high 37 hits.
• Right fielder Cook leads the Jennies with 23 RBI to rank 10th in the league. Cook and Fischer also share the team-high five home runs.
• Central Missouri's pitching staff ranks sixth in the MIAA with a team ERA of 2.85. They have allowed the least walks in the league with just 29 walks in 692 at-bats to rank sixth in Division II with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 5.76.
• Freshman
Sadie Parks leads the UCM pitching staff and ranks sixth in the league with a 2.07 ERA. Parks ranks at the top of the MIAA with just three walks allowed in 179 at-bats. She ranks eighth in Division II with an individual strikeout-to-walk ratio of 12.50.
• Sophomore
Paige Petefish leads the Jennies with 62 strikeouts which ranks fifth in the league. Petefish also leads UCM with 58.2 innings pitched and posts the team-high seven wins.
• Central Missouri also ranks second in the MIAA with a .974 team fielding percentage.
• The Jennies are 4-2 while playing on the road this season.
Scouting the Opposition:
EMPORIA STATE HORNETS (14-14, 4-6 MIAA)
• Through 28 games, Emporia State has recorded less hits, RBI, and runs scored than its opponents. The Hornets offense in total currently has 190 hits, 124 runs scored, 100 RBI and 58 walks while the defense has allowed 236 hits, 129 runs scored, 119 RBI and 46 walks.
• Emporia State's team batting average of .266 ranks 12th in the MIAA.
• The Hornets designated player Roni Raines leads the offense with a .391 batting average, a .507 slugging percentage, and a .506 on-base percentage which ranks fourth in the league. She also leads ESU with 27 hits and 15 RBI.
• First baseman and pitcher Kerrigan Dixon is hitting .344 while right fielder Emma Furnish is hitting .240 and posts a team-high 19 runs and 11 walks.
• Shortstop Abby Ward leads the Hornets and ranks third in the MIAA with 14 stolen bases.
• Emporia State's 4.06 team ERA is good for ninth in the league.
• Kelsey Phillips leads the Hornets with 72.2 innings pitched and an ERA of 2.50. In 284 at-bats, Phillips has allowed 76 hits and 26 earned runs and posts the team-high 46 strikeouts. She has given up eight walks which ranks fourth in the MIAA.
• Josie Harrison has thrown 46 innings in nine appearances. She's allowed 56 hits, 26 earned runs, 19 walks, and has struck out 29 batters.
• Emporia State is 8-6 while playing at home this season.
Previously vs. the Hornets
• Emporia State leads the all-time series against UCM 61-40.
• The Jennies have swept the Hornets three times in their last five doubleheaders.
• The last time UCM and ESU met was in the 2019 MIAA Tournament which resulted in a 6-1 Hornet victory.
• Head Coach
Susan Anderson is 8-27 overall against ESU.
Individual Milestones:
• Sophomore right fielder
Ashlyn Cook is two starts and four putouts away from her career 100th in both categories.
• Junior first baseman
Makenzie McAtee is 12 hits away and seven starts away from her career 100th.
• Junior third baseman
Jessica Sader recorded her 100th career hit against No. 21 Rogers State. She is three starts away from her career 100th.
• Sophomore
Paige Petefish recorded her 100th career strikeout against No. 3 Augustana.
• 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.
Last Time Out:
MARYVILLE, Mo. (April 6, 2021) - Central Missouri Softball earned its third MIAA sweep of the season with two wins over Northwest Missouri. The Jennies offense complied 26 hits and 18 runs while the UCM defense held the Bearcats to just 12 hits and five runs scored on the day.
GAME 1 - Central Missouri 5, Northwest Missouri 2
• After giving up two Bearcat funs in the opening inning,
Paige Petefish and the Jennies defense held Northwest scoreless in the remaining six innings.
• A Bearcat home run to left field with one runner on in the bottom of the first plated the first runs of the game as Northwest took an early 2-0 lead.
• Central Missouri answered the Bearcats two runs by scoring three Jennies in the top of the second inning. Third baseman
Jessica Sader homered to center field in her first at-bat of the game scoring
Ashlyn Cook and herself to tie the game at 2-2.
• A double to center field by
Bailey Fowler would score
Bailee Bryant from second for the 3-2 lead.
• In their remaining 19 at-bats, the Bearcats recorded just four hits and left a total of five runners on base.
• A solo home runs by first baseman
Makenzie McAtee and right fielder Cook scored UCM's final two runs against Northwest.
• The Bearcats rally attempt in the bottom of the seventh fell short, awarding the Jennies the 5-2 victory.
• Three home runs in a single game ties the Jennies season record. They have now hit three home runs in six of their 27 games so far this season.
• Central Missouri out-hit Northwest 12-7 with five of the Jennies hits being for extra bases.
• Seven different Bearcats accounted for Northwest's total hits.
GAME 2 - Central Missouri 13, Northwest Missouri 3
• The Jennies recorded their second-most runs scored in a single game this season with 13 runs in game two against the Bearcats.
• It was a slow offensive started as the first two innings saw just two hits with no runs scored.
•
Sadie Parks and the UCM defense held the Bearcats with just one hit in their first seven at-bats.
• This time, the Jennies were the first to score as UCM recorded four runs off four hits in the top of the third inning.
• With two outs and no runners on base,
Abbey Fischer hit a bomb to center field for the first run of the game. Back-to-back doubles by
Bailey Fowler and
Sydney Wellshear were followed by an
Ashlyn Cook single to score the following three runs of the inning, awarding the Jennies a 4-0 lead.
• Northwest Missouri added two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning as three Bearcat singles produced two runs score. Parks and the UCM defense recorded the third out of the inning with two Bearcats in scoring position.
• After a scoreless fourth and fifth inning, the Jennies opened the sixth inning with six hits and six runs scored.
• A double to center field by pinch hitter
Abby Allnutt scored Cook from second for the first run of the inning. Allnutt advanced to third on a single by second baseman
Brenlyn McCoy. Another single by left fielder
Aubrie McRoberts would then score Allnutt, increasing UCM's lead by four at 6-2. With just one out and bases loaded, Fowler hit her second double of the game scoring all three baserunners. Fowler found her way home on a wild pitch, scoring the Jennies sixth run of the inning and their 10th run of the game.
• Northwest was able to score one run off one hit and one UCM error in the bottom of the sixth to keep the game alive.
• Central Missouri took advantage of its final inning, scoring three more runs to increase the Jennies lead by 10.
• The Jennies defense recorded three consecutive outs in the Bearcats final at-bats to win game two 13-3 and earn the league sweep.
• In a season-high 34 at-bats the Jennies out hit the Bearcats 14-5.
• Central Missouri's 13 runs scored is the most allowed by Northwest in their 20 games this season.
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.
