Friday, February 7
Buies Creek, N.C.
10 a.m.
Purdue Fort Wayne
vs
Valparaiso
Photo by: Dennis Hubbard
Softball Opens Season on Friday in North Carolina
2/6/2014 11:49:00 AM | Softball
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The IPFW Mastodon softball team, off of an NCAA Tournament berth the year before, open its 2014 season on Friday at the Hampton Inn of Dunn Invitational hosted by Campbell in Buies Creek, N.C.
ABOUT IPFW
IPFW opens the season after winning last season's Summit League Tournament, falling in the NCAA Regional to nationally ranked Louisville (2-1) and UCLA (8-0). The team returns 14-of-15 letterwinners from that team, including Summit League Tournament MVP Ashleigh Bousquet.
Bousquet leads an offensive attack that sees all nine of its offensive starters return from a team that batted .285 with 227 runs scored and 28 home runs a seasona go. Ashleigh Bousquet led the team with a .407 batting average, 38 runs scored, nine home runs, and 42 RBI's, while twin sister Alex batted .329 with five home runs and 36 runs scored.
Larissa Franklin, who spent the summer on the Canadian National Team, batted .352 with 37 runs scored and 26 stolen bases. Dani Pugh batted .295 with seven home runs and 41 RBI's.
Leading the pitching staff is junior Miranda Kramer, who set IPFW single-season records in wins (23) and strikeouts (284), the latter of the pair standing as the fifth-best total in Summit League history. She had a 1.88 ERA in 193.1 innings of work, while walking just 42 on the season. Megan Flenniken also returns after a 10-6 season that saw her strike out 130 with a 2.76 ERA.
GAME ONE
Opponent: Valparaiso Crusaders (0-0)
When: Friday, February 7 | 10 a.m.
Where: Buies Creek, N.C. | Amanda Littlejohn Stadium (400)
All-Time Series: Valparaiso leads 20-12
Live Stats: Campbell Live Stats
SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS
Valparaiso opens the 2014 season after going 35-27 a season ago, winning the Horizon League tournament, and advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
Returning for the Crusaders are the top two pitchers from last season, including Taylor Weissenhofer, who went 21-12 with a 2.43 ERA as a freshman, striking out 234 batters in 195.2 innings of work, walking 76 batters. Also back is Sierra Pico, who was 11-10 with 64 strikeouts in 113.2 innings.
Janelle Bouchard returns after leading the team with 53 RBI's while batting .323 with seven home runs and 15 RBI's. Kaitlyn Ranieri also returns after batting .314 with 35 runs scored and a dozen doubles on the year.
GAME TWO
Opponent: Seton Hall Pirates (0-0)
When: Friday, February 7 | 12:30 p.m.
Where: Buies Creek, N.C. | Amanda Littlejohn Stadium (400)
All-Time Series: First Meeting
Live Stats: Campbell Live Stats
SCOUTING THE PIRATES
Seton Hall comes into the season after a 21-30 record in which the team fell in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament.
Returning for the Pirates is utility player Maria DeLuca, who batted .344 last season with seven home runs and a team-high 39 RBI's. She scored 30 runs, while also stealing seven bases. Danielle Destaso is also back after leading the team with nine home runs, driving in 37 RBI's and finishing with a .333 batting average.
The pitching staff returns all three of its primary pitchers, including Destaso, who went 14-14 in the circle a year ago with a 4.13 ERA and 163 strikeouts in 173.0 innings of work. Casey Moses (3-6, 5.36 ERA) and Jen Metzger (4-10, 6.45 ERA) also return after striking out 24 and 56 batters, respectively.
GAME THREE
Opponent: UMass-Lowell River Hawks (0-0)
When: Saturday, February 8 | 10 a.m.
Where: Buies Creek, N.C. | Amanda Littlejohn Stadium (400)
All-Time Series: First Meeting
Live Stats: Campbell Live Stats
SCOUTING THE RIVER HAWKS
UMass-Lowell comes into 2014 after a 26-21-1 season a year ago, falling in the first round of the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament to Southern Connecticut State.
The team returns Abby Jamieson from last season, as the junior batted .448 with 21 runs scored, eight doubles, six home runs and 41 RBI's. Melissa King returns after batting .319 with 16 runs scored and 12 RBI's, while Ariana Darcy batted .313 with five home runs, six triples and eight doubles to go with a team-high-tying 41 RBI's. Speed is the name of the game for the River Hawks, as the team returns three of four players last season who had at least 10 stolen bases on the year.
Leading the pitching staff is sophomore Marielle Handley, who went 20-13 last season with a 2.42 ERA. She struck out 124 batters, while walking 53 in 202.2 innings of work. Courtney Lanfranchi went 4-6 last season with 22 strikeouts in 66.1 innings of work, as the team had a combined 3.13 ERA on the year.
GAME FOUR
Opponent: Campbell
When: Saturday, February 8 | 12:30 p.m.
Where: Buies Creek, N.C. | Amanda Littlejohn Stadium (400)
All-Time Series: First Meeting
Live Stats: Campbell Live Stats
SCOUTING THE CAMELS
Campbell returns its top five hitters and two of the three top pitchers from a team that went 39-21 a season ago, falling in the Big South Tournament.
Leading the offensive attack is a combination of speed and power, as the top two returning hitters - Ericka Nesbitt and Stephanie Jones - batted .419 and .372, respectively, with 22 and 20 stolen bases apiece. Raven Lee batted .341 with 18 home runs and 70 RBI's last season, while Courtney Klingler had a .339 batting average with 13 home runs, 12 doubles, and 54 RBI's. Brittany Bruce is also back for the Camels after batting .283 with 19 stolen bases in 21 tries.
Returning for the pitching staff is Courtney Roberts, who went 20-7 last season with a 3.22 ERA and 142 strikeouts in 169.1 innings of work. Julie Callicutt also returns after sporting a 10-3 overall record with a 3.57 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 96.0 innings in the circle.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
ABOUT IPFW
IPFW opens the season after winning last season's Summit League Tournament, falling in the NCAA Regional to nationally ranked Louisville (2-1) and UCLA (8-0). The team returns 14-of-15 letterwinners from that team, including Summit League Tournament MVP Ashleigh Bousquet.
Bousquet leads an offensive attack that sees all nine of its offensive starters return from a team that batted .285 with 227 runs scored and 28 home runs a seasona go. Ashleigh Bousquet led the team with a .407 batting average, 38 runs scored, nine home runs, and 42 RBI's, while twin sister Alex batted .329 with five home runs and 36 runs scored.
Larissa Franklin, who spent the summer on the Canadian National Team, batted .352 with 37 runs scored and 26 stolen bases. Dani Pugh batted .295 with seven home runs and 41 RBI's.
Leading the pitching staff is junior Miranda Kramer, who set IPFW single-season records in wins (23) and strikeouts (284), the latter of the pair standing as the fifth-best total in Summit League history. She had a 1.88 ERA in 193.1 innings of work, while walking just 42 on the season. Megan Flenniken also returns after a 10-6 season that saw her strike out 130 with a 2.76 ERA.
GAME ONE
Opponent: Valparaiso Crusaders (0-0)
When: Friday, February 7 | 10 a.m.
Where: Buies Creek, N.C. | Amanda Littlejohn Stadium (400)
All-Time Series: Valparaiso leads 20-12
Live Stats: Campbell Live Stats
SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS
Valparaiso opens the 2014 season after going 35-27 a season ago, winning the Horizon League tournament, and advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
Returning for the Crusaders are the top two pitchers from last season, including Taylor Weissenhofer, who went 21-12 with a 2.43 ERA as a freshman, striking out 234 batters in 195.2 innings of work, walking 76 batters. Also back is Sierra Pico, who was 11-10 with 64 strikeouts in 113.2 innings.
Janelle Bouchard returns after leading the team with 53 RBI's while batting .323 with seven home runs and 15 RBI's. Kaitlyn Ranieri also returns after batting .314 with 35 runs scored and a dozen doubles on the year.
GAME TWO
Opponent: Seton Hall Pirates (0-0)
When: Friday, February 7 | 12:30 p.m.
Where: Buies Creek, N.C. | Amanda Littlejohn Stadium (400)
All-Time Series: First Meeting
Live Stats: Campbell Live Stats
SCOUTING THE PIRATES
Seton Hall comes into the season after a 21-30 record in which the team fell in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament.
Returning for the Pirates is utility player Maria DeLuca, who batted .344 last season with seven home runs and a team-high 39 RBI's. She scored 30 runs, while also stealing seven bases. Danielle Destaso is also back after leading the team with nine home runs, driving in 37 RBI's and finishing with a .333 batting average.
The pitching staff returns all three of its primary pitchers, including Destaso, who went 14-14 in the circle a year ago with a 4.13 ERA and 163 strikeouts in 173.0 innings of work. Casey Moses (3-6, 5.36 ERA) and Jen Metzger (4-10, 6.45 ERA) also return after striking out 24 and 56 batters, respectively.
GAME THREE
Opponent: UMass-Lowell River Hawks (0-0)
When: Saturday, February 8 | 10 a.m.
Where: Buies Creek, N.C. | Amanda Littlejohn Stadium (400)
All-Time Series: First Meeting
Live Stats: Campbell Live Stats
SCOUTING THE RIVER HAWKS
UMass-Lowell comes into 2014 after a 26-21-1 season a year ago, falling in the first round of the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament to Southern Connecticut State.
The team returns Abby Jamieson from last season, as the junior batted .448 with 21 runs scored, eight doubles, six home runs and 41 RBI's. Melissa King returns after batting .319 with 16 runs scored and 12 RBI's, while Ariana Darcy batted .313 with five home runs, six triples and eight doubles to go with a team-high-tying 41 RBI's. Speed is the name of the game for the River Hawks, as the team returns three of four players last season who had at least 10 stolen bases on the year.
Leading the pitching staff is sophomore Marielle Handley, who went 20-13 last season with a 2.42 ERA. She struck out 124 batters, while walking 53 in 202.2 innings of work. Courtney Lanfranchi went 4-6 last season with 22 strikeouts in 66.1 innings of work, as the team had a combined 3.13 ERA on the year.
GAME FOUR
Opponent: Campbell
When: Saturday, February 8 | 12:30 p.m.
Where: Buies Creek, N.C. | Amanda Littlejohn Stadium (400)
All-Time Series: First Meeting
Live Stats: Campbell Live Stats
SCOUTING THE CAMELS
Campbell returns its top five hitters and two of the three top pitchers from a team that went 39-21 a season ago, falling in the Big South Tournament.
Leading the offensive attack is a combination of speed and power, as the top two returning hitters - Ericka Nesbitt and Stephanie Jones - batted .419 and .372, respectively, with 22 and 20 stolen bases apiece. Raven Lee batted .341 with 18 home runs and 70 RBI's last season, while Courtney Klingler had a .339 batting average with 13 home runs, 12 doubles, and 54 RBI's. Brittany Bruce is also back for the Camels after batting .283 with 19 stolen bases in 21 tries.
Returning for the pitching staff is Courtney Roberts, who went 20-7 last season with a 3.22 ERA and 142 strikeouts in 169.1 innings of work. Julie Callicutt also returns after sporting a 10-3 overall record with a 3.57 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 96.0 innings in the circle.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
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
