April 16, 2002
Softball Team Plays Host to Northwest Missouri on Wednesday
The Doubleheader: Truman State University Bulldogs (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association/NCAA Division II) vs. Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats (MIAA/NCAA DII)
Date: April 17, 2002
Time: 2 pm
Location: Kirksville, Mo.
No. 19 Truman (21-8 overall, 7-1 MIAA): The Truman softball team will be looking to rebound from its first MIAA loss as the Bulldogs play host to Northwest Missouri on Wednesday. In last week's only action, the Truman women split a doubleheader at Missouri Western on Wednesday, taking the first game 8-5 in 10 innings but dropping the night-cap, 5-0.
The Bulldogs hit the road again on Friday with a doubleheader scheduled at current MIAA-leader Washburn, followed by a doubleheader at Emporia State on Saturday.
The 'Dogs were ranked among the North Central region's top 10 teams, according to the latest NCAA Division II softball committee's bi-weekly ratings that determine postseason participants. The rankings were in alphabetical order last time with the next poll scheduled to be released on April 17 (see page 2).
Six teams are chosen from each of the eight regions for a total of 48 teams in the postseason tournament. MSSC, Northwest Missouri and Washburn are the other MIAA schools listed among the region's top 10.
Bulldogs Among NCAA Leaders: Sophomore shortstop Elizabeth Economon (St. Louis/Notre Dame) was ranked seventh in the nation with a .514 batting average, through games of March 31, but has improved to .525. She was also 26th in home runs (0.24 pg) but has hit two more round-trippers since. Economon, who is currently riding a 21-game hitting streak, was sixth in the NCAA in RBIs (1.19 pg)
'Dogs Among MIAA Leaders: Truman is currently ranked second in the MIAA in batting (.303) and pitching with a team ERA of 1.63. The Bulldogs are also rated fourth in scoring (4.59 rpg) and eighth in fielding (.943).
Economon is second in the league in batting (.525), but paces the MIAA in slugging percentage (.871), on base percentage (.559), home runs (.241 pg), RBIs (1.10 pg) and runs scored (1.03 pg). She is also tied for fifth in doubles (.276) and sixth in triples (.103 pg).
Sophomore center fielder Katy Mueller (Affton, Mo./Cor Jesu) is 16th in batting average (.343) and tied for fifth with Economon in doubles (.276 pg).
Junior second baseman Shelby Ortwerth (Hannibal, Mo.) is second among MIAA stolen base leaders with .34 a game (10-of-11).
Sophomore Britni Buford (Kahoka, Mo./Clark County) is tied for fourth in the conference in victories (.900, 9-1), fourth in ERA (1.13) and third in strikeouts per seven innings (6.51).
Senior pitcher Jennifer Hulsopple (Peculiar, Mo./Raymore-Peculiar) is tied for eighth in victories (.636, 7-4), tied for sixth in ERA (1.24) and second in strikeouts per seven innings (7.03).
Sophomore Breanna Wonderly (Conception, Mo./Jefferson) is fourth in strikeouts per seven innings (6.10).
Series vs. Northwest Missouri: The Bearcats claim the lead in the all-time series with the 'Dogs, 38-29. Last year, NWMS was one of three conference teams to beat Truman after squeaking by with a 1-0 win in Maryville in weather-shortened game one of a doubleheader. In 2000, the Bulldogs swept a doubleheader from NWMS, 2-0 and 4-3.
About Northwest Missouri (20-11 overall, 4-5 MIAA): The Bearcats have lost three of their last four MIAA contests, splitting with Pittsburg State on Friday, and getting swept by Missouri Southern on Saturday, 4-0 and 4-3. NWMS opened MIAA play with a pair of losses to Washburn, but then beat Central Missouri 2-0 and swept Emporia, 5-1 and 6-0.
Sophomore utility player Angie McCoy leads the team with a .375 batting average and ranks sixth in the MIAA, followed by catcher Megan Spring at .351 who is 12th among league leaders. McCoy has 12 doubles, two triples and three home runs to her credit this year and Spring has 10 doubles and a team-high seven home runs. Nearly every Bearcat has a stolen a base this year with junior outfielder Kelly Carter leading the team with 10-of-13 to rank tied for fifth in the MIAA.
Sophomore Morgan McGinnis is 7-2 on the mound with a 1.24 ERA, while freshman Shelly MacDonald is 6-1 with a 1.35 ERA.
The Washburn Series: The Lady Blues hold a 20-15 advantage in the all-time series with Truman. Last year, the Bulldogs beat WU 7-0 and 7-3 in regular season action, and 6-3 in the MIAA tournament. Washburn's last win was in the first of three meetings in the 2000 MIAA tourney, 3-2. The Bulldogs followed up with 2-1 and 2-0 wins to claim the league crown that year.
About Washburn: WU currently leads the MIAA with a 9-1 record and is 39-8 overall. The Lady Blues only loss in the MIAA to date was a 3-2 decision at Missouri-Rolla on April. 6. Washburn also lost 1-0 to Missouri Southern in game four this year at the Central Arkansas tournament. WU is at Missouri Western for a doubleheader on Wednesday.
Kristen Cheney is fourth in the MIAA in batting (.430), third in slugging percentage (.685), third in on base percentage (.514), fifth in home runs (.191) and second in runs scored (.98).
Katie Gregg and Ashley Perkins are tied for second in the conference in victories at 15-2 and 15-3, respectively.
The Emporia State Series: The Lady Hornets have an eight-game losing streak going in the series with Truman. ESU's last win came in game one of a doubleheader on April 18, 1998, by a score of 3-2. The Bulldogs have a 16-13 lead in the all-time series.
vs. Missouri Western Last Wednesday: In game one of the doubleheader, the Bulldogs scored four runs in the first inning with Economon and Paul hitting back-to-back doubles to score the first two. Buford also drove in one run, and would score the fourth run of the inning on an error.
Missouri Western managed three runs in the bottom of the first inning, one unearned, and two off a double. The equalizer came in on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the sixth inning.
It took four extra innings for the decision to come in the 'Dogs' favor. Economon started off the 10th inning with a single and would score on a error by the left fielder. Buford, freshman catcher Holly Kessler (Blue Springs, Mo.), Holland, sophomore outfielder Krystl Brown (Olathe, Kan./North) and Mueller also had hits. Kessler and Brown had the RBIs with Brown's coming on a double. The Lady Griffons added one run in the bottom of the 10th, giving the 'Dogs the 8-5 win.
Economon was 3-for-6 and five other 'Dogs had two hits each. Buford struck out six batters in 9.1 innings of work, giving up three earned runs.
A weary Bulldog contingent could not hold off MWSC in game two as the Lady Griffons shut out Truman, 5-0.
Missouri Western scored a run in the first inning and four runs in the fifth inning. Mueller, Economon, Holland and Wonderly had the four hits for the team.
Wonderly took the loss after giving up four earned runs on seven hits and striking out one batter.
TRUMAN CAREER LEADERS:
Economon is currently ninth among Truman career hits leaders (123), eighth in runs (77), fourth in doubles (29), sixth in triples (9), tied for third in home runs (11), sixth in total bases (203) and RBIs (68).
Hulsopple already holds school records for career wins (83), innings pitched (713.1), shutouts (33), appearances (115) and games started (91). She is second all-time in strikeouts (437), just 24 away from the record, and is ranked among career hitting leaders as well. Hulsopple ranks eighth in RBIs (64) and home runs (6), tied for 15th in doubles (15), 23rd in at bats (352) and 24th in total bases (122).
Paul is tied for 11th in doubles (17) and tied for 15th with four home runs.
Buford is now fourth in wins (34), 10th in innings pitched (289), sixth in strikeouts (177), tied for fifth in shutouts (9), 10th in appearances (45) and starts (41) and is tied for 11th in complete games (31).
Wonderly is also making her mark among Bulldog career pitching leaders, coming in tied for 12th in wins (19), 10th in strikeouts (120), tied for fifth in shutouts (9) and is 13th in appearances (35) and games started (30).
Coach: Kristi Bredbenner took over for the Bulldogs this season after graduating in December from Truman. She was an all-America catcher for the Bulldogs the previous four seasons and owns nearly every hitting record at Truman.
Big Wins: Truman has tallied three top 25 wins so far this year, beating both No. 2 Bloomsburg (Pa.) and No. 3 Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville on the Bulldogs' spring break trip. In addition, the 'Dogs defeated Northern Kentucky, now ranked tied for 16th in the nation, when it was still receiving votes for the top 25 in early March.
Truman has also garnered wins over several teams receiving votes for the national poll, including Merrimack (Mass.) and Wayne State (Mich.).