Saturday, March 24
Kansas City, Mo.
2:00 p.m.
Purdue Fort Wayne
at
UMKC
Photo by: Lucas Carter
Softball to Take on Preseason Favorite Over Weekend
3/23/2012 5:41:00 PM | Softball
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The IPFW Mastodons travel to Kansas City, Mo., to face off against the UMKC Kangaroos, who were picked to finish first in the league for the 2012 season.
Game: at UMKC (11-11, 1-2 Summit League)
When: Friday and Saturday, March 24-25, 2012
Where: Kansas City, Mo. | Missouri 3&2 Field
Live Stats: UMKC Live Stats
PRESEASON TOP THREE
This weekend's series featured two of the top three teams in the 2012 Summit League Coaches Poll. UMKC was picked first with five of the nine first-place votes, and 61 total points, while North Dakota State was picked second with four first-place votes and 60 points. The Mastodons finished third in the preseason voting with 46 points, just ahead of Southern Utah (44), and Western Illinois (38).
IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
In the most recent NCAA rankings (March 18, 2012), the IPFW Mastodons are well represented in the individual and team national rankings. Courtney Cronin is 11th in the country in earned run average (0.77), while Alex Bousquet is also 11th with an on-base percentage of .568. Cronin also is in the top-20 in total shutouts with five. At the bat, Cronin is the 22nd-hardest to strike out in the country, as Alex Bousquet has been hit by pitch 0.36 times per game, 26th in Division I. As a team, IPFW's ERA is 1.25, 14th best in the country, while their won-loss percentage of .773 is 24th best in the country.
HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT
Not only is Alex Bousquet ranked 26th in the country in times being hit by pitch, but UMKC's Chelsea Hartwig rankes 14th in the same category, averaging 0.41 times hit by a pitch per game. The pair are not in the Summit League lead, however, as Western Illinois' Allie Vadeboncouer ranks fourth in the country averaging 0.55 times being hit by a pitch per contest.
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR BACK
UMKC shortstop Kaelene Curry and pitcher Deanna Fries return to the Kangaroos after being named the Summit League Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively. This season Curry leads the UMKC regulars with a .385 batting average, with a team-high 13 runs and four stolen bases in five attempts. Friese is currently second on the Kangaroo roster with a 2.92 ERA, with 83 strikeouts in 76.2 innings while adding 33 walks and a 3-7 overall record.
LAST SEASON
Last year the Kangaroos and Mastodons met four times, including three times in Fort Wayne, where the Mastodons swept the early-season series. The 'Roos got their revenge, however, with an elimination victory over the Mastodons in the 2011 Summit League Tournament. The series is tied 7-7 all-time with the winner of this weekend's series to hold an advantage all time against the other.
Game: at UMKC (11-11, 1-2 Summit League)
When: Friday and Saturday, March 24-25, 2012
Where: Kansas City, Mo. | Missouri 3&2 Field
Live Stats: UMKC Live Stats
PRESEASON TOP THREE
This weekend's series featured two of the top three teams in the 2012 Summit League Coaches Poll. UMKC was picked first with five of the nine first-place votes, and 61 total points, while North Dakota State was picked second with four first-place votes and 60 points. The Mastodons finished third in the preseason voting with 46 points, just ahead of Southern Utah (44), and Western Illinois (38).
IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
In the most recent NCAA rankings (March 18, 2012), the IPFW Mastodons are well represented in the individual and team national rankings. Courtney Cronin is 11th in the country in earned run average (0.77), while Alex Bousquet is also 11th with an on-base percentage of .568. Cronin also is in the top-20 in total shutouts with five. At the bat, Cronin is the 22nd-hardest to strike out in the country, as Alex Bousquet has been hit by pitch 0.36 times per game, 26th in Division I. As a team, IPFW's ERA is 1.25, 14th best in the country, while their won-loss percentage of .773 is 24th best in the country.
HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT
Not only is Alex Bousquet ranked 26th in the country in times being hit by pitch, but UMKC's Chelsea Hartwig rankes 14th in the same category, averaging 0.41 times hit by a pitch per game. The pair are not in the Summit League lead, however, as Western Illinois' Allie Vadeboncouer ranks fourth in the country averaging 0.55 times being hit by a pitch per contest.
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR BACK
UMKC shortstop Kaelene Curry and pitcher Deanna Fries return to the Kangaroos after being named the Summit League Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively. This season Curry leads the UMKC regulars with a .385 batting average, with a team-high 13 runs and four stolen bases in five attempts. Friese is currently second on the Kangaroo roster with a 2.92 ERA, with 83 strikeouts in 76.2 innings while adding 33 walks and a 3-7 overall record.
LAST SEASON
Last year the Kangaroos and Mastodons met four times, including three times in Fort Wayne, where the Mastodons swept the early-season series. The 'Roos got their revenge, however, with an elimination victory over the Mastodons in the 2011 Summit League Tournament. The series is tied 7-7 all-time with the winner of this weekend's series to hold an advantage all time against the other.
Huge Dubs!
Saturday, May 10
Mastodon Softball walks off NKU
Friday, April 25
Softball Win over IUPUI
Monday, April 15
Winning 'Dons are Happy 'Dons!
Sunday, February 25
